When Worlds Collide
by MysticDawn5
Summary: After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally end up in Nihon. In between searching for the feather and dealing with mysterious phenomenons, Kurogane has to face a startling revelation that will change his life forever. / Pre-Volume 13 / DISCONTINUED /
1. Unexpected Events

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 1 — Unexpected Events**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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_"AHHHHHH!"_

The wind swirling about them abruptly ceased, and they fell with a dull thud onto a large pile of autumn leaves. Some leaves flew into the air by the force of their fall and started drifting downward onto their heads like snow.

"Phew! What a ride!" Fay giggled as he tried to brush away some leaves that had gotten tangled in his shoulder-length blond hair.

Kurogane spat out some leaves which had gotten stuffed in his mouth and moaned, "Oh, no. Not another crazy world."

"Tee hee! I've done it again!" Mokona exclaimed, jumping up and down in sheer joy.

Syaoran sluggishly stood to his feet. "Where are we?" He offered a hand to Sakura and helped her up.

"Beats me," Fay said. "But we seem to be in some sort of private garden, right?"

And indeed, Fay's observation rang true. A large building was situated just ten feet away from them, possibly some sort of residence, and they were surrounded by even smaller buildings, which were all somehow connected to the large mansion. The area was littered with trees evenly spaced between themselves, and orderly-trimmed hedges and flower bushes were scattered here and there about the well-kept enclosure. There was even a fountain with a statue, depicting a bird with massive wings outstretched in the center, as if ready to take off. Water gushed out of its open beak into the pool around it, the sound of the water running so making the place seem somehow ethereal and unreal.

Kurogane gingerly got up and proceeded to rid his long cloak of the remaining leaves which refused to part with it, mumbling, "Fine mess we're in. What if someone catches us here?"

"Who would catch us here?" Fay asked him with a large smile.

Kurogane snorted with contempt. "The people in that house for one. This is definitely a private compound. They'd think we were intruding, wouldn't they?"

"Kurogane-san does have a point," Sakura commented. "They might regard us with more than an overdose of hostility."

"So, in other words, let's go!" Fay grinned.

"Let's go!" Mokona said, sounding just like Fay.

"Wai! I just love it when you imitate voices!" Fay laughed as he cuddled Mokona.

Sakura and Syaoran sweat-dropped uneasily, exchanging looks, and Kurogane slapped his forehead in exasperation, muttering, "What idiots."

They exited through the garden gate (which was thankfully unlocked) and followed a small path, which led away from the mansion complex and onto a worn-paved road. It was very wide, and went on for miles. Even by shading their eyes against the late sun they couldn't make out the end of it.

The terrain was hilly, dotted here and there with a few sparse trees, and there were also many rice fields, which had just been harvested. In the distance, mountains could be discerned, but they were still too far to be clearly seen; they merely accepted the fact that a large mountain range was probably situated there.

"Wow! It looks so picturesque!" Sakura sighed happily.

"What does?" Syaoran asked her curiously.

"The whole setting," Sakura said, then struggled to explain what she meant. "The hills, the fields, the mountains... everything. The whole area. It seems so peaceful, and... breathtaking."

"Hmm... I see what you mean." Fay smiled. "Nature sure can seem that way sometimes."

"Yeah..." Syaoran agreed. "I was always fascinated by nature; my father and I used to travel to lots of different countries, and some of the sights we saw were simply beautiful."

Mokona hopped up and down on Fay's head. "Me too! Me too! Yuuko always takes us to wonderful parks with lakes and woods and everything!"

"Back in my world, we had huge mountains perpetually covered in snow. It was a very cold country..." Fay's voice trailed on as they continued walking along the road.

Kurogane frowned and crossed his arms. This discussion wasn't taking a very good turn in his opinion. Nature and sights and that kind of stuff interested him not in the least. And Sakura's comment on this world's geography made him feel... homesick, though he didn't want to admit it. The whole place reminded him of Nihon, as it seemed to resemble this world very much. _If this place_ was _Nihon, it would be autumn now_, Kurogane silently thought. But he was brought out of his stupor upon hearing Syaoran's voice.

"Do you feel Sakura-hime's feather, Mokona?"

Mokona climbed down from Fay's head and cocked its ears. "I feel strong vibes, but they're far away," he stated. "We need to follow this road."

The five of them started along it once more, their shoes making the characteristic clopping sound against the paved stone. Or, the four of them would be a better term, for Mokona had climbed onto Syaoran's head and had started singing (much to Kurogane's dismay).

After a while, Fay paused. "This looks like a sort of highway," he commented, tapping his foot against the stone. "But I don't see any buildings. Just that mansion we came from in the first place."

"It's probably some kind of an estate, belonging to some wealthy daimyo or another," Kurogane stated, after a long pause had followed Fay's remark. "If that's the case, then all the nearby lands are his."

"And is this 'daimyo' an important title?" Syaoran asked him, longing to find out more (and fervently hoping that Kurogane would continue). He had always been fascinated by different cultures and civilizations.

"It depends," Kurogane grunted. "Where I come from some daimyo are more important than others. Each daimyo holds land, and has warriors and retainers in his service. He's allowed to use them only in accordance with the Law, and only if the Princess approves that his actions are suitable."

"And where do ninja fit in?" Fay asked him slyly. "I mean, in your home-world's structure?"

Kurogane frowned, as if wondering how much he should say. "Ninja work for the Princess. As the daimyo have private warriors, the Princess also has a Personal Guard, which consists of ninja."

"And what's your job?" Sakura asked him. "What does the Personal Guard do?"

Kurogane paused. "Our main job is to protect Tomoyo-hime and Nihon from spies, intruders and assassins," he finally said.

"Hmm... but that still doesn't really explain why she got rid of you," Fay grinned. "You once mentioned that she forced you to the Dimensional Witch's place. You never said why." Fay took on an innocent look (which didn't look at all innocent) and said, "How about you tell us?"

"Not likely," Kurogane growled. He had no intention whatsoever of ever revealing that his killing-obsession was his downfall, which had miraculously lessened with the few years that had passed.

"Aw, come on! We're supposedly one big happy family! We can't have secrets between us!" He took on a sappy, honeyed look and smiled at him.

Kurogane cringed with that description of their group. He shot a glance at Fay and shuddered at his expression. "Good grief, act your age, would you? You're acting like a little girl! "

Fay quickly sobered up with this remark. "Aren't you going to spill the beans already, Kuro-tan?" he asked him almost whimsically, after a few moments of silence.

Kurogane crossed his arms. "I'll tell if you tell," he said, glaring at Fay. He knew that Fay wouldn't reveal anything, so he was perfectly all right; there would be no need to confess his past.

Fay's mouth opened slightly in surprise. "Oh, you are tricky," he chuckled abstractedly and looked ahead, saying no more.

Syaoran frowned as he looked from Kurogane to Fay. Now that he thought about it, he really didn't know anything about their pasts. Only that Kurogane was a ninja, and that Fay was a wizard. How was it that he had come to trust total strangers? Just because they were traveling together? Because they were helping him to find Sakura's feathers? Or was it for a different reason? He felt in the depths of his very being that he could trust them, although he couldn't explain why, even if he tried.

As they continued along the road, they noticed that the sun was beginning to cast even longer shadows with each passing minute, and that the temperature was slowly dropping. They had been walking for some time now, but they had seen nothing that resembled a city, town, village—or at least a wayward inn—to spend the night in.

Sakura suddenly sneezed violently.

"Bless you," Mokona giggled.

"Thanks," she sniffed. "I'm just a little cold, that's all."

"Hmm... she's right," Fay said as he came to an abrupt stop. "It's nearing nightfall and here we are without shelter. What a fix we're in," he sighed.

"Maybe we can find a village or a city if we continue along the highway," Syaoran suggested. "Or perhaps an inn."

"Don't get your hopes up," Kurogane growled. "If that estate really did belong to some sort of daimyo we aren't likely to find anything like that."

The group sat in silent thought for a few moments.

Just then, the gloomy darkness was punctuated by a faint sound of hooves in the distance, from behind them; riders were approaching.

Kurogane bent to the ground and placed his ear against the road.

"Er... what are you doing?" Sakura asked him curiously, sweat-dropping.

"I'm trying to listen," he grunted in response. After a few moments he got up. "They're about twenty riders, and they must be armed because their mounts are weighed down. They're rapidly nearing us."

"Hyu! That trick is so cool!" Fay smiled. "Only a ninja would think of doing something like that!"

"Psh," was Kurogane's response. He longed to decapitate him, but thought better of it, for he would need his sword in top form soon enough, he believed. And anyway, he was tired, and feeling slightly drowsy. He furiously shook his head. _Not now_, he thought. _There might be trouble. I need to be alert. _

"But they might not want to cause us harm. They might be able to help us find shelter," Sakura pointed out.

"So we wait," Syaoran said. "And act when they act."

Fay nodded in response, dropping his airy manner.

They turned to meet the riders.

They finally saw the group of riders in the distance. The riders seemed tiny at first, but as they got closer, the group got bigger and bigger. Soon it was clear that Kurogane had been correct, for there were about twenty riders in total, on large horses, and although they wore long black cloaks that obscured the fact if they wore armor or not, it was plainly evident that they were at least armed, for long, bright blades were at their sides.

They reined up their mounts when they were about thirty feet from the travelers. The rider in the lead, whose face was obscured under their cloak's large hood, took one look at them and, drawing their sword and pointing it at them, cried, "Attack!"

Then the riders charged at them.

Kurogane reacted immediately. He unsheathed Souhi, took on a battle pose, and said to Syaoran, "Get her out of here. This could get ugly." He indicated Sakura with a nod.

Syaoran quickly led her to a large rock near the road and told her to hide behind it and stay clear of the fighting. "You'll be fine," he added. "Mokona, stay with her."

"I sure will," Mokona said, but his tone of voice had also changed. It was anxious now, and sounded scared.

Then Syaoran returned to the others. Fay brandished a long stick as he spread his feet apart, ready to strike. Syaoran drew Hien_. Please help me_, he silently thought to the sword. _Give me strength to protect Sakura. _

Then the two opposing groups clashed.

Fay whipped out at the riders with his long pole, unhorsing some of them, then whacked at the ones who fell, trying to render them senseless.

Kurogane deftly parried with many of them, and threw most of them from their horses. He would then attack at them with Souhi, but he would never strike at them; instead, he would knock them out with the hilt of his sword.

Syaoran wondered at that, but had no time to contemplate it, for he was being attacked on three sides at once. He raised his sword in defense, and then, as the warriors were about to lunge at him, Syaoran's right eye seared painfully, and he felt that he had no control over his limbs. He swung Hien at them, and they fell back, surprise on their faces at this sudden display of power. Syaoran, unwillingly, lunged at the one nearest to him, and started violently parrying with him.

_What's going on?!_ Syaoran thought as he easily avoided his opponent's thrust at him. _I can't control myself!_ He nimbly jumped out of the way of the sword swinging at him, and Hien clashed against it. _Could it be Hien? Could my wish to protect Sakura cause the sword to take over? Or...?_ He gasped silently. _Could what Kurogane-san have said about being inexperienced with a sword be true? That if the user is inexperienced the sword will turn on the user? And the thing that the user wants to protect?!_ He slashed at his opponent violently. But what does it have to do with my eye? The opponent clumsily avoided Syaoran's blow.

Kurogane shot a chance glance at Syaoran during the general mêlée. _What the—?!_ he silently exclaimed at the way Syaoran was battling; by sheer force, his swings hiding immeasurable power. _Something's not right—!_ He then abruptly turned as another warrior attacked him, forced to abandon his thoughts.

Fay also noticed this and frowned. _That can't be right_, he thought as he saw Syaoran battle. _I sense... someone..._ But he was not allowed any more thoughts as he defended himself against another attacker.

Syaoran still had not regained control over his limbs, and now was looming above his fallen opponent. The opponent's eyes were wide with fear. Syaoran raised Hien.

_No! I don't want to kill him!_ Then his eye shot through with pain again, and he felt that he had complete control over himself again. Syaoran wavered. _How...?_

A triumphant exclamation suddenly pierced the air. "If you three don't give yourselves up, I'll kill her!"

Fay, Syaoran, and Kurogane turned as one. They saw that one of the riders—the lead rider—had Sakura. The rider held a fistful of Sakura's hair in one hand, and the other hand was holding a long sword, its tip right at Sakura's throat.

Syaoran made to move toward her but stopped for two reasons. One reason was because Fay had put his hand on his shoulder, restraining him, and the other was the rider herself, who said, "If you take one more step I'll kill her."

Syaoran froze. What was he to do?

"Do you give yourselves up?"

Kurogane and Fay exchanged nervous glances. This was indeed a sticky situation.

Fay cleared his throat. "If we do, do you promise that no harm will come to the girl?"

The rider paused, as if considering Fay's words. "For now," she finally answered.

There was another pause, as the trio stood frozen in place, unsure of what to do.

"All right," Syaoran finally said heavily.

"Throw down your weapons," the rider ordered.

Kurogane and Syaoran sheathed their swords and tossed them at their feet. Fay also tossed his pole, although it wasn't really a weapon relatively speaking.

"Restrain them," the rider told two of the attackers.

They stepped forward and tied the trio's hands behind their backs with thick cords of ropes. They were very rough about it, and bound the ropes tightly, not caring if they cut their blood circulation, and pushed them down to their knees when they finished, before the leader.

The lead rider did likewise to Sakura and led her to the others, where she was also forced down on her knees. Sakura looked at Syaoran with a frightened expression on her face. Syaoran tried to smile reassuringly at her, but it wouldn't come out; he was well aware of the serious predicament they were in.

The lead rider dismounted and approached the four of them. She stood before them, her hands at her sides. "You four don't seem to be from around here," she said in a quiet voice, which carried, however, for everyone was silent. "And I couldn't help but notice that your fighting skills are superior to ours, yet you did not kill any of our warriors. Why is that?"

None of them answered.

"Don't make it more difficult for you than it already is. All I want to know is where you're from and what your intentions are."

Again, silence.

"Speak!" the rider commanded, and slapped Sakura full in the face. Sakura's expression was one of pain and shock; Syaoran's was one of outrage.

"You said you wouldn't hurt her!" Syaoran exclaimed in fury.

"I said that I wouldn't hurt her for now. But since you seem to have a soft spot for this girl, instead of trying to draw out answers from you by force, you will assuredly be more willing to speak if I threaten to harm her in any way." The rider unsheathed her sword and pointed it at Sakura's throat. "So what will it be? The easy way or the hard way?"

Syaoran trembled with ill-suppressed rage. How could he protect Sakura tied up? Even if he did speak she wouldn't believe him, so either way Sakura would be... what was he to do?

Fay's only evident reaction was a frown, but in reality he withheld his anger, which was threatening to bubble up to the surface. They had made a deal with the attacker and she was going back on her word. Fay's thoughts were exactly like Syaoran's; either way, Sakura would be hurt, for she wouldn't believe a word they would say, and they couldn't do anything restrained thus.

But it was Kurogane who made the first move. "And how do we know you're telling the truth?" he asked, trying to control the tone of his voice; he also strongly felt that the rider's treatment of Sakura after giving them her word that she wouldn't harm her was unjust. "If you had really wanted to kill her you would have done it by now."

Fay sweat-dropped uneasily. _What is he thinking of, trying to provoke the leader? He could get us in serious trouble! _

Syaoran's eyes widened. _What is he doing?! He's putting Sakura-hime's life on the line! _

Sakura gave a slight gasp. _It's all my fault; if I hadn't been so frightened... Now Kurogane-san is going to be punished in my place! _

The rider removed her sword-point from Sakura's throat and pointed it at Kurogane's instead. "Are you willing to risk that I won't?" the leader asked him in a low voice.

"It's obvious you have no such intention," Kurogane replied smugly.

"What makes you say that?" The rider's tone of voice was now more curious than menacing, in contrast with before.

"Because the way you bargained with us before was half-assed. When the kid over there took that one step toward you, you should have killed the girl because of his unwillingness to give up." Kurogane smiled maliciously. "So that's why I say you have no real intention of killing her. If you had, you would have already done it by now."

There was an extremely long pause. Then the rider said in a low voice, "Stand up."

When Kurogane made no move to get up, he was unceremoniously yanked to his feet by two of the attackers behind them.

The leader looked him up and down. "You sound familiar..." She took a step toward Kurogane. "And you look familiar..." The rider frowned, but the frown was unseen under her large hood. Another moment passed. Then, she suddenly gasped. "Kurogane?! Is that you?!"

Kurogane frowned, curiosity and confusion written plainly on his face.

The rider pulled back her hood.

The woman had shortly cut dark hair which reached her shoulders. She had green eyes, and her skin was dark. Around her forehead was a white band of cloth with a black crescent moon. She smiled.

Kurogane's mouth dropped open in surprise as he started violently. "Souma?!" he gasped.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** I'm still not completely satisfied with this chapter. I feel it was too rushed, and if I could remove the Kurogane-placing-his-ear-on-the-road part I would, but then I would have been forced to change other parts which would have been too tedious and unfair to those who have already read this chapter. I changed enough to hopefully make it an easier read.

What Kurogane says about daimyo (or lords) is true. I researched it and they did have private warriors. But I've changed it slightly. I made out that the daimyo all answer to Tomoyo, and that they only use their warriors according to what the law dictates. Oh, and the Personal Guard is my idea, too. I'm proud of the idea even if it didn't turn out to be true. Ah, well, we can't have everything in life.

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	2. Renewed Ties

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

§·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·§

**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 2 — Renewed Ties**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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"What are _you_ doing here?!" Kurogane exclaimed. He was utterly bewildered, and his thoughts were running with a million unanswered questions.

"What am _I_ doing here? What are _you_ doing here?" Souma asked him, equally confused. "Tomoyo-hime sent you away, didn't she?"

Kurogane's eyes widened. "You mean this is Nihon?!"

"Of course it is! What did you expect?"

Kurogane's mouth dropped open in surprise. He groped for words, but found none. He felt a peculiar sensation in his midriff. Something between... happiness... and sadness. But he was home. That was what mattered.

Souma smiled at him. "I'm glad you're back."

Kurogane grimaced in response. "The welcoming committee was great," he grunted.

Souma sighed. "I'm sorry about that, but things have been more hectic lately. Two assassination attempts on Tomoyo-hime were made only this month."

"_What?!_ Who—?"

Souma held up her hands saying, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. First we had better untie you and...?" She looked curiously at the others.

"My traveling companions," Kurogane said shortly.

"What?" Souma gasped. "You're traveling with these people?" She put her hands on her hips. "You _never_ travel with other people."

"This is different," he mumbled.

"Different how?" Souma regarded him steadily. "You seem like another person. You didn't butcher anyone and you seem to be more civilized. Although the bad language remains unchanged," she smiled.

Kurogane averted his gaze uneasily, wondering how the others would react with Souma's term of 'butchering'. He grudgingly admitted to himself that he now felt ashamed of his previous behavior, and honestly didn't want his companions to judge him by his past. He had put all that behind him.

But now that he had actually returned home he couldn't just ignore the past. He had to face it, there was no denying it. But the others regarded him as someone worthy of respect (even Fay and Mokona), and he did not want to fall in their bad graces. How would they regard him if they knew he had a bloodlust? With wariness? Apprehension? Fear? Or repulsiveness?

Lost in his thoughts, he did not realize that he had been untied until he found that he could move his hands. Souma was apologizing to the others. "I'm so terribly sorry about the slap, and the way I treated you before," Souma was telling Sakura. "But that is exactly how I would react were you assassins or spies."

"Since you're sorry, that's quite all right," Sakura told her gracefully, with a sunny smile on her face.

Souma also smiled. "You have a large and forgiving heart. Which is more than I can say for that guy over there," she said, indicating Kurogane and raising her voice slightly.

"Cut it out," Kurogane growled.

Souma laughed. "You may have changed somewhat, but you're still the same hot-head I knew."

"_What?!_" Kurogane exclaimed.

"She has a point," Fay chuckled.

Kurogane glared at him.

Souma handed Syaoran and Kurogane back their swords, and bowed. "My name is Souma," she formerly introduced herself, "Lead Ninja in Princess Tomoyo's Personal Guard."

Kurogane started violently. It used to be his own position, so it was quite a shock.

Souma arched her eyebrows at him. "You expected your place to remain vacant for four years?"

"Wha...?" Kurogane was once again rendered speechless. Four years? Had it already been so long?

Souma turned to two of the guards. "I want all of you to prepare camp, and to set up one extra tent for our guests."

"Er..." one of them said. "If I may ask... who are these people?"

Souma sighed exasperatedly. "Kazuo-san, don't you recognize him?" She indicated Kurogane.

"Should I?" Kazuo asked, puzzled. "All I understand is that you know these people."

"No. I only know him, although it did take me a while to figure it out."

Kurogane turned to face Kazuo, for during the conversation he had had his back to him.

Kazuo's eyes widened. "Kurogane-sama!" ("Kurogane-sama?" Fay snickered) He bowed low in respect. The warrior beside him also bowed deeply. "I... you have returned! I... did not know..." Kazuo spluttered.

"We shall accompany Kurogane and his companions as an honor guard to the Capital," Souma told the two ninja. "Spread the word to the others. I want all of you to make yourselves presentable before we reach Shirasagi Castle. We set out tomorrow morning."

"Yes..." they murmured, then took off at a quick walk, conversing animatedly between themselves.

"Erm..." Kurogane said, pulling on his cloak collar uneasily. "How is it that that guy knows me...?"

"You are something of a legend among Princess Tomoyo's ninja," Souma smiled. "You never really spent much time with others, but your exploits are known throughout the country, not just in the Personal Guard. I'm sure that as soon as you tell of your recent adventures, word will spread. Undoubtedly, you must have had some."

"I'll say," Fay muttered sarcastically.

"And what's all this about an honor guard?" Kurogane asked her again.

Souma smiled slyly. "Well... we can't let Nihon's strongest ninja arrive at the Capital looking like a vagabond, can we?"

Kurogane glared at her.

Souma laughed. "Come. We can sit before my tent, and although the food is meager, I would like for you to sup with me."

"Sure! I'm positively famished!" Fay grinned. "How about you guys?"

Sakura blushed as her stomach gave off a loud growl. "Er..."

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After all the tents had been erected and the food cooked, Souma sat before her tent, and invited the others to sit around her.

"So..." Souma said, as she started on her supper. "I've introduced myself to you, but I still don't know anything about you."

"Oh... right!" Syaoran said. "Sorry about that! I'm Syaoran."

"My name is Fay D. Flourite, a former wizard from Celes Country. But you can call me Fay."

"I'm Princess Sakura, from Clow Country."

"And I'm Mokona Modoki!" it squeaked, jumping out of Sakura's hood.

"Ah! There you were!" Fay grinned. "I was wondering where you had run off to!"

"I was reaaaaally quiet!" Mokona whispered.

Souma had started when she saw Mokona. "What's that? It looks like a manjuu..."

"Ahaha!" Fay laughed. "Looks like you're not the only one who thinks that, eh?" He elbowed Kurogane and winked at him.

"Psh," was Kurogane's only comment.

"Mokona's our mode of transportation. He transports us to different dimensions," Fay explained to Souma.

"Whatever for?"

"Oh, right! We haven't told you about our mission!" Fay grinned. "Well, to make a long story short, Sakura-chan here lost all her memories, which scattered to different dimensions in the forms of feathers. We're traveling to find them!"

"All of you?" Souma asked them, arching her eyebrows.

"Well, we first met at the Dimensional Witch. She couldn't fulfill our wishes separately, so she forced us all together. Whenever we arrived in Nihon, Kuro-sama here would stay behind, because that was his wish. He had to give up his pretty sword for it, so I'm guessing it was worth it."

"Oh..." Souma smiled. "No wonder I didn't recognize you. If you had had Ginryuu, I would have known it was you in an instant!" Then her eyes widened. _"You gave up Ginryuu?!"_

"I had no choice," Kurogane said darkly.

"But that was your father's katana!"

"I know," he grunted.

"Your family's heirloom!"

"I know."

"You had sworn never to part with it!"

_"I know."_

"What will—?"

"I know! Cut it out already!" Kurogane shouted. "But it was either that, or stay stuck in that freakin' world!" He frowned. "Is my...?"

"Your family? Yes, they're still in the Capital." Souma looked at him pitifully. "I feel sorry for you. Imagine your father's reaction when he finds out you gave up Ginryuu."

Kurogane's eyes widened. He took in a sharp breath. "Oh, man..." he moaned as his shoulders sagged slightly.

Souma giggled. "Since you've been with Kurogane for four years, I guess you know his character. Imagine that times ten. That's how his dad's like," she told the others.

"Oh, dear..." Syaoran said.

"Hahaha!" Fay laughed. "_'Like father, like son,'_ as the saying goes!"

"The saying in _your_ country," Kurogane retorted.

Fay controlled his laughter (for a moment), and raised his hand. "Um, just out of curiosity, how do you know how his father is going to react? Do you know him?" he asked Souma.

"His father used to be the strongest ninja in Nihon. So his family has much honor, since Kurogane had the same place as well. But it just so happens that Kurogane and I are cousins. So I actually know his father personally since he is my uncle."

"Wow!" Sakura said as she clapped her hands together. "You're cousins?"

"Yup," Souma smiled. "So we know each other very well. Since we were children."

_"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"_ Fay burst out laughing again.

"Er... are you okay, Fay-san?" Syaoran asked him timidly.

"It's just... I can't... imagine him... as a little kid... _HAHAHA!_" Fay said, in-between gasps for air. He clutched at his stomach. "Air! I need air!" He continued to giggle hysterically.

The others sweat-dropped.

Kurogane looked livid. "I bet you were pretty stringy yourself!" he shouted at Fay.

"You know, the funny thing is, I was," Fay said, managing to regain his composure. "I was tall and gangly. You must've been pretty... burly!" he laughed again.

"Actually he wasn't," Souma said. "He was the tallest, but the skinniest."

_"HAHAHAHAHA!"_ Fay laughed again.

"When you've quite finished discussing my childhood appearance," Kurogane snarled, "I'd like to know about those assassination attempts that you mentioned before."

Fay quieted down. He looked expectantly at Souma.

Souma coughed delicately. "Well... we're almost at the end of October... and in the first week of this month, a samurai snuck into the palace compound."

"A samurai?!" Kurogane interrupted. "But samurai are extremely loyal! They'd never go against their sovereign! They follow an even stricter code than ours!"

"I know that, but it was indeed an assassination attempt. When we questioned the samurai, he would only repeat the same cryptic message; _the time is nearing_. Beats me what he meant. And the really strange thing was that, although we hadn't greatly wounded him, he died in two nights."

Kurogane sat back, dumbfounded. He rubbed his eyes in frustration. "That doesn't make sense..." he muttered.

"I know," Souma told him seriously. "And we couldn't get anything else out of him."

"Why didn't Tomoyo-hime use her magic?" he looked up at her.

Souma averted his penetrating gaze. "Well... something's wrong with her magic. She can still use it, but when she tried to question the samurai she met a sort of barrier, and couldn't find out anything."

"_What?!_ Is she okay?!" Kurogane had sat bolt upright, his expression one of horror.

"She's fine! Calm down! She just couldn't use her magic on him, that's all. And the same happened with the other assassin. Now this is even stranger than with the samurai, because... we have no idea where he was from."

"Was he from some other country, perhaps?" Syaoran asked her.

"No," Souma shook her head. "At least not any country we know of. He had a strange weapon which shot bits of metal."

"_A rifle?!_" Kurogane, Fay, Sakura, Syaoran, and Mokona exclaimed.

"Eh...?" Souma said. "What's that?"

"A weapon, which you use like this," Fay said, mimicking that he was carrying a rifle. "And you pull a trigger, and the bit of metal—the bullet—flies at an object, depending on where you aim."

"Yes! That's what it was!" Souma frowned. "But how did you know...?"

"When we were in Jade Country, we had met people who used those kind of weapons," Syaoran told her. "In one of the dimensions we traveled to."

"What if...?" Sakura began, then faltered.

The others looked at her.

"Go on," Fay said encouragingly. "It looks like you're on to something."

"Well, what if... this assassin was from a different dimension?" Sakura wondered tentatively. "I mean, since Souma-san is positive that he couldn't have been from another country."

Syaoran turned to Souma. "Did this person speak?"

"Yes, but we couldn't understand what he was saying. Tomoyo-hime tried to use her magic again to understand him, but her powers wouldn't work. He spoke in the same tone as the samurai, however."

"Perhaps this has something to do with Sakura-chan's feather?" Fay suggested.

"Maybe..." Syaoran said. "If it _is_ the feather, we'll find out what's wrong." He wore a determined expression on his face.

Sakura looked worriedly at him. Syaoran had been steadfast in helping her find the rest of her memories, and she still couldn't understand why. But she was also very anxious for him, because she had watched the fight before, and saw that Syaoran had acted strangely. That was one of the reasons she had been so easily caught; she had been watching the others.

Mokona balanced some chopsticks on its nose. "Did you find out anything else?" it asked Souma.

"No. But the assassin and the samurai must have had something in common, for the assassin died a night after we had captured him as well. And we had hardly delivered any blows..."

Kurogane frowned. It seemed that the time of his arrival had been just right. Too right. Again, the sense that someone was watching them was upon him. But who was it? It was so infuriating not to know where your enemy was hidden, even though you knew he was there. And now, there was a possibility of people from other dimensions. In his home-world. Something strange was going on. "How far is it to the Capital?" he asked Souma.

"About two days on horseback," she answered. She crossed her arms. "Just wondering... how come you got tangled up in this adventure, Kurogane?"

"The faster we could find those memories, the faster we could make it here," he answered simply. He shrugged, "So I helped."

"We were pretty lucky to have him with us, though," Fay grinned. "If it hadn't been for him in some tight spots we would have really been in trouble!"

All of a sudden Sakura began to sway dangerously. "No... not again..." she mumbled, but too late; she had fallen fast asleep.

"Sakura-hime!" Syaoran exclaimed as he caught her before she fell.

"Aw...! Sakura fell asleep again!" Mokona squealed.

"Is she all right?" Souma asked worriedly.

"Yes, she's just sleeping. It's because we haven't found all of her memories." Fay grinned.

Souma sighed. "I'm so sorry. It's late. I hadn't realized that the time had passed so quickly. I'll lead you to your tent," she offered as she got up.

The others got to their feet as well, and followed Souma (Syaoran carrying Sakura) to the tent. Souma pulled back the flap and peered in. "The four of you'll fit perfectly. So, good night, and remember that we break camp in the early morning."

"We will! Good night!" Fay waved as Souma left.

Syaoran tenderly lay Sakura down on one of the sleeping pallets and covered her carefully with the blanket. Mokona curled up beside her, and was soon fast asleep.

Syaoran yawned tiredly. He was about ready for sleep himself, when he suddenly gasped. "I forgot my sword!"

"Psh..." Kurogane huffed. "You'd lose your head if it weren't for us. I'll go get it."

"But you don't have to bother—"

"It's no bother. I need to stretch my legs anyway." And with that, Kurogane got out of the tent.

He made his way toward Souma's tent, and saw that she was approaching him. She handed him Syaoran's sword. "Here. He forgot it."

"That's just what I was coming for. He still can't handle a sword properly," he grunted.

"But he showed great skill while battling," Souma protested.

Kurogane froze. He had almost forgotten about that. "That wasn't him," he answered carefully.

"What?"

"He doesn't fight like that. I have the feeling someone was meddling."

"Meddling?"

"Interfering."

"Who?"

Kurogane sighed. "I don't know yet. But I feel that someone's spying on us. Ever since we started our journey." He had not meant to say anything, but because he and Souma were so close, all his worries seemed to tumble out into the open. "I think it might have something to do with the princess's feathers. Sometimes, getting the feathers was too easy. Way too easy. Someone's interfering, there's no doubt about that. But the problem is we don't know who. Or why. And now... with all of these assassination attempts... and the possibility that one of them was from another dimension..."

Souma placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "But now you don't have to think about that. You're finally home. Your part of the journey is over."

Kurogane looked at her in surprise. "But things have changed. Greatly."

"If you're talking about my taking your place in the Personal Guard, that can be easily fixed now that you've returned. I was only a temporary replacement." She took his hand in hers. "I really missed you, my hot-headed cousin." She winked.

"Ugh. You sound like that damn wizard."

"He must've rubbed off of me. Now get to bed. You're no good if you go without sleep. You're even grouchier than a bear."

_"What?!"_

Souma giggled. "Good night." She turned on her heel and made her way to her tent.

Kurogane stomped back to the tent, muttering something about 'stupid wizards' and 'annoying cousins'. He had meant to ask her more details about what had happened the previous years, but she had effectively deflected his chance of asking. He pulled back the tent flap. "Here," he grunted as he tossed the sword at Syaoran.

Syaoran caught it. "I'm sorry," he said sheepishly. "But Sakura-hime fell asleep and—"

"I know that. I was right there," he grunted as he sat with a _plop_ on a sleeping pallet. "But you need to get used to having that sword with you at all times. What if someone attacks you and you don't have that sword handy?"

"Aw, Kuro-sama, you're too strict!" Fay grinned, waving his hand airily as he lay back on his sleeping pallet with a sigh. "Relaaaax! You're back home now, so chill."

"When will you act your age?" Kurogane sighed, rolling his eyes as he pulled off his cloak.

"Right now, if you want." He sat up and looked at him seriously. "I've been meaning to ask you something."

"What?" Kurogane snapped irritably.

"Your cousin mentioned something before she untied us about you not 'butchering' anyone... what did she mean by that?"

Syaoran raised his head and looked at Kurogane, wondering what he would answer.

Kurogane avoided looking at them as he shifted uneasily.

"Well?" Fay asked him expectantly.

Kurogane held his breath, then let it out explosively. He raised his hands in the air, saying, "Great. Whatever. Since we're in Nihon, you'd find out anyway." He removed his helmet before beginning.

"Tomoyo-hime sent me away for a reason. I had this... killing-obsession. But when she sent me away, she cursed me, saying that if I killed anyone in cold blood, my strength would be reduced. So even if we were in countless battles, if you had watched closely, I didn't kill anyone. The only person I was determined to do in was that guy who taught you how to fight," Kurogane said, looking at Syaoran. He turned to Fay. "So you were relatively safe whenever I had tried decapitating you, because I wouldn't waste my strength by killing you. Satisfied? You now know the truth." He squirmed uncomfortably and crossed his arms.

Syaoran regarded him with arched eyebrows. _So that's why he didn't kill any of those ninja before..._ he thought.

Fay laughed hard, slapping his knee with mirth. "And here I was thinking that the reason Tomoyo-hime sent you away had been something serious!"

Syaoran and Kurogane keeled over, sweat-dropping with Fay's reaction.

"Isn't it?!" Kurogane spluttered.

"Not really," Fay smiled. "She did it so you could learn a lesson. And I think you've learned it, haven't you? You looked positively squeamish when you were telling us about it."

"Well..."

"See? Everything's perfectly fine!" He settled under the covers of his sleeping pallet. "So no worries!"

"But—" Kurogane began, but bit off his words.

Fay looked at him through the corner of one eye. "But what?"

Kurogane shifted uncomfortably. "Nothing..." he muttered.

"Hmm... I don't think it's nothing," Fay told him seriously. He turned to face him. "Was all of this killing senseless? Because you liked killing? Or did you have a reason for killing?" He raised his eyebrows in question.

"I..." What _were_ his real intentions for killing? He was responsible for Tomoyo's well-being, and he deemed that only by killing off her enemies she would be properly protected. A dead enemy is a safe enemy, as the saying goes, after all. It wasn't that he enjoyed it, but there _was_ some personal glory in the bargain; becoming stronger. But now, he realized, strength didn't only come from the number of enemies put down. Strength came from the heart, and how strong it was. He had realized that in this company—he only needed to look at Syaoran to confirm that this was true. He knew the answer now. "I was protecting—"

"Exactly. You had a reason. According to your beliefs and ideals, you were protecting Princess Tomoyo. So stop acting as if it's serious. You've found out that you weren't going about it the right way. I don't blame your past actions on your present self; you've changed, and you now understand your previous mistakes. Neither I nor Syaoran-kun hold it against you. And neither will Sakura-chan and Mokona when they find out about this; they're bound to, you know. We all have something to hide. It just turned out that your secret was revealed first." He looked at Syaoran. "Isn't that right, Syaoran-kun?"

"Huh?" Syaoran's eyes widened. "How? Did you—?"

"Not only me. Kuro-pii here, too. What happened during that fight?" Fay eased his head onto his arms and looked at Syaoran questioningly.

Syaoran lowered his eyes. "I don't know... I felt that I couldn't control my body. I thought at first that it might've been because of what Kurogane-san had said about being inept at a sword. That the sword would take advantage of the user's weakness."

"That's not how it would've happened," Kurogane stated firmly. "I think someone was interfering."

"You know, I thought the same thing when I saw Syaoran-kun battle, too." Fay raised himself and sat erect once more. "And remember what Emeraude-hime had told Sakura-chan? That someone was spying on us? What if there's a connection?"

"You think?" Syaoran asked him worriedly. He lowered his head. "Actually, I realized that it couldn't have been the sword, because my eye hurt me. That couldn't have been connected to the sword... could it?"

"No," Kurogane said seriously. He frowned. "Maybe whatever controlled you has something to do with that eye." He turned to look at Syaoran. "Were you born with your right eye blind? Or was it caused by some sort of accident?"

"I... I don't know..." Syaoran said heavily. "I don't remember what happened to me before my father found me. I was wandering on the streets. He took me in, and gave me my name. I may not remember who I was, but I know who I am now. I'm Syaoran."

"You don't remember anything before?" Fay asked him.

"No."

Fay regarded Syaoran steadily. He put his hand on Syaoran's forehead.

"What—?" Syaoran said.

"Shh," Fay hushed him. Long moments passed in silence. Finally, Fay removed his hand from his head. "The only memories you have of what happened to you before can only be viewed in your dreams," he told him. "If you concentrate hard enough, I'm sure you'll find the answer." Fay smiled reassuringly at him.

Kurogane crossed his arms. "I thought you said that you had decided no to use your magic," he accused.

Fay smiled. "That wasn't magic. That was a trick."

"I fail to see any difference."

Fay chuckled softly. "There _is_ a difference. If you use magic openly, or if you use 'active magic', it can be 'heard' by others with the same qualities."

"Huh?" Syaoran and Kurogane said.

"Haha..." Fay laughed quietly. "Magic, when used, makes a characteristic sound which can be heard only by others who also use magic. It also depends on what you do. The bigger the feat, the louder it'll be. If you use inactive magic, or the so-called intuition, you hardly hear any sound at all. That's because the results aren't really evident as opposed to active magic, like throwing a lightning-bolt at someone."

"Er... have you ever done that?" Kurogane asked him.

"Done what?"

"Thrown a lightning-bolt at someone."

Fay chuckled. "No... but I could if I wanted to. It'd be really noisy without my tattoo, though."

"So your tattoo would block the noise?" Syaoran asked him.

"Yup. That's another reason why I don't use magic without it. I regard magic as the loud kind, so doing small feats of intuition isn't really magic, in my opinion."

"But what are the other reasons?" Kurogane asked him warily.

Fay smiled mysteriously. "Too much has happened today. I suggest we get some sleep. I'll tell you... someday... when you're ready." And with that, he snuggled under the covers and closed his eyes.

Syaoran and Kurogane exchanged puzzled looks, but said nothing. It was clearly evident that Fay was unwilling to let out anything more, and besides, he was right. A lot had happened that day. Syaoran curled under the blankets, and was soon fast asleep. Kurogane dug under the covers and lay on his back, his eyes staring into space.

His mind was full of thoughts swimming around, and he couldn't calm down enough to sleep. He was glad to be back home, but he was also worried. Admittedly, he did not want to part with his companions. Kurogane's predicament was what Fay had mentioned before when they were discussing with Souma; if it hadn't been for him, they wouldn't have made it in some tough situations. He didn't feel pride at this, but genuine worry. Now that only a few feathers remained, undoubtedly, they would have to come face to face with the one who had forced Sakura's memories away in the first place. And Kurogane strongly suspected that it was that someone who was spying on them, and who had controlled Syaoran like that before. So what was he to do? He longed to help them, for he actually counted them as something more than traveling companions... he almost dared to call them friends. But his desire to see Tomoyo again was very strong.

He sighed as he rubbed his face with his hands. His head hurt so much. He was at his wit's end. What to do?

"Tomorrow," he murmured. "I'll think about it tomorrow."

And, with that, he closed his eyes and tried to cease all thoughts. However, it was a long time before sleep took him.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** Kazuo is a character of my creation and will play a bigger role later on. The Personal Guard and Lead Ninja are also my ideas, as well as Fay's magic. CLAMP hasn't elaborated much on how magic works. Oh, and Souma being Kurogane's cousin was also my idea. Remember, the first few chapters of this fan fic were written before Kurogane's past was revealed, so you'll see a lot of things that are different with what has actually taken place.

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	3. Shock

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 3 — Shock**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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Although Kurogane was the last one to fall asleep, he was the first one to wake up. He was used to waking up early, and even though he lacked sleep, there were no exceptions in his case. When it was time to get up, it was time to get up.

He gingerly and quietly got to his feet, so as to not wake the others, and pulled his cloak about him. He pulled on his boots and exited the tent. He saw that no one else had woken yet, and he used that to his advantage to take a walk. But he had gone no more than a few feet when someone shouted at him. "Wait!"

Kurogane turned to face the ninja. It turned out to be Kazuo, who was acting sentry. "Kurogane-sama," he said bowing. "May I ask what you are doing up so early?"

Kurogane regarded him steadily. This guy was full of a lot of questions, he decided. "I just want to stretch my legs," he answered.

"That is logical, I suppose," Kazuo muttered.

Kurogane heard this and said, "Do you suspect me of something?"

"What? No!" Kazuo said distractedly. "Of course not... I... it just seemed odd..." he spluttered.

Kurogane arched his eyebrows. "You seem pretty young. Did you just become a ninja?"

Kazuo stood straighter. "Just last spring," he answered proudly.

"Well, you don't need to be so energetic. Save your energy for fights."

Kazuo smiled shakily. "I suppose I should follow your advice. You're the expert."

Kurogane nodded absent-mindedly. "Now get back to your post."

"Yes, sir," Kazuo saluted.

Kurogane snorted after he left. Kazuo was still inexperienced. But with time, he would probably become less so. Kurogane turned, and after making a round of the whole campsite (which was relatively small), turned toward a small hill nearby. He started to climb it, and when he had reached the top he stood there and marveled at the view.

Acres upon acres of meadows, forests, and valleys spread out before him. The highway stretched to infinity, but clashed somewhat with nature. It seemed like an unhealthy scar in the middle of pristine beauty. Almost beyond his eyesight, the large mountains loomed, their snow-capped tops seeming like clouds.

In the distance he could barely make out the Capital, but doubtless it was there; a mere speck in his range of vision at the moment, which would grow with each passing mile. He turned slightly and saw a sight that took his breath away.

The sun was rising.

He sat on the springy turf, disregarding the morning dew which would dampen his clothes, and gazed in awe at that huge sphere of splendor. The red orb slowly and gracefully rose into the sky, and all the while the sky was tinged with various hues of color—reds and oranges and purples and golds—all mingled together harmoniously to greet the sun's arrival. The clouds seemed ethereal, and perfectly formed as they stood out in the sea of color, strolling by smoothly.

The color of the ball of fire began to change; from crimson, it turned to a deep orange, and then to a lighter shade, and finally turned to its golden radiance. The peculiar shades of the sky had also faded, and the regular sky-blue slowly took its place.

He had been so absorbed in watching the sunrise that he hadn't noticed that someone had crept up behind him and had watched the dance of dawn with him. But someone did, and had sat down beside him, also gazing enraptured as the last marks of the dawn brilliance faded.

"One of the most peaceful moments in nature is the sunrise," Sakura murmured. "Don't you think so?"

"I do now," Kurogane whispered, almost inaudibly. "I'd never actually seen the sun rise before today."

"You never cared to," she told him. "But you've changed, there's no doubt about that."

Kurogane turned to look at her. "How is it that you knew I was here?"

Sakura smiled. "By chance, actually." She stretched her legs. "Remember when we were in the world with all of those trees, and those fluffy creatures?"

"Yeah," Kurogane answered, raising his eyebrows in question. He was wondering where this discussion was heading.

"Do you remember the tornado? That I had heard its voice?"

"Uh-huh."

"One of the memories I found later on was when my older brother's friend, Yukito-san, explained to me that that was because I can hear lonely things. Because of my loving heart." She smiled at him. "I heard you."

Kurogane's eyes widened. "What...?"

"Yes... I hear all of you sometimes, but you've been calling out more, lately." She placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "You're really worried. About a lot of things."

"And what did you hear?"

"I heard your feelings. You're feeling very confused now. Not knowing what all of these assassination attempts on Tomoyo-hime mean, not knowing who is spying on us, and something you didn't actually tell the others yet... that you're reluctant to part with us. You feel as if you're being torn in two. You were also worried about how we would react if we found out you had killed people in the past—"

"How did you know _that_?! Were you awake last night?" He stared at her accusingly.

Sakura smiled. "No... but if some feelings are very strong, I can sense the source of them. What made those feelings be. You regret those past actions, and I forgive you..." She sweat-dropped. "You're feeling a lot of things... it wasn't exactly easy to sort them all out! And you keep them all inside... you may have been trained as a ninja, but you're still only human. You can't always be closed up to yourself. You need to let your feelings show."

"But I can't. What I'm feeling inside is something I can't let out," he said without realizing what he was implying.

But Sakura caught the implications. "You can't let your love show?"

Kurogane started and turned to look at her. "Stop it! You're freaking me out!"

Sakura giggled. "Actually, that was all you. Your previous statement was crystal-clear. So... what about Tomoyo-hime?"

"What about her?" Kurogane said quickly, his face getting warm.

"Well, whenever you talk about her your voice becomes stronger, and more passionate. You're clearly devoted to her, aren't you?"

Kurogane lowered his head. He ran his fingers through his hair. "I dunno... I feel confused. At times I hate her for sending me away. But at other times I miss her and I long to see her again."

"You have to tell her how you feel!" she said, clenching her fist determinedly.

"You don't understand..." Kurogane struggled to explain. "It's not in my place. Even if I told her how I felt, nothing would ever happen. She's a princess, and I'm a ninja. End of story."

Sakura stood up. "I'm a princess, too, and it wouldn't matter to me if I were in her place. Who cares if you're just a warrior? If you were earnest, and told her, something might actually happen!" She took on a determined expression. "If you really love her, you have to risk it!"

"But—"

"You have to be honest! Make a move!" She thrust an arm into the air, and had her other hand clenched in a fist. She giggled nervously as soon as she realized what a ridiculous pose she had taken. "I'm being silly..." She coughed. "But you'll forever be torn in two if you don't stop the war inside yourself."

Kurogane looked at her curiously.

She laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "And don't worry about us. If your wish is to stay in Nihon, we won't stop you. It is your home-world, after all." She smiled warmly at him. "I'll leave you to your thoughts." She made her way down the hill and back to the campsite.

Kurogane looked after her, and then glanced at the speck that was the Capital. He sighed and held his face in his hands, thinking hard... and gave in to the abyss of his memories...

_He lunged, aiming the sword at his opponent. But she nimbly stepped out of the way and brought her blade down onto his. He raised his sword and they parried, their swords ringing against each other. If he didn't change his tactics, there was no way he would prevail; she was too quick. He continued to banter with her, then, in a sudden fluid and smooth movement, he knocked the blade out of her hand and had his sword at her throat in an instant._

_Souma collapsed in helpless giggles. "All right! I give up!"_

_"What's so funny?" Kurogane asked her indignantly._

_"Y-your face!" she laughed hysterically, while struggling to speak. "It looks... so ridiculous!"_

_And truly, Kurogane had been wearing a very serious and determined expression on his face. He smiled sheepishly. "I guess I did look a little like an idiot," he admitted._

_"I'll say," Souma chuckled. Then, regaining her composure, she said, "But that last move was good." She bent and picked up her sword. "It was sudden."_

_"Well, you were too quick for me, so I had to think of a way to immobilize you just as quick."_

_Souma smiled. "_If_ we want to be chosen as ninja in the Personal Guard," she added._

_Kurogane leaned on his sword. "I think we can handle that without any problems. We're the best students at the Academy."_

_"Yeah... but still, we're only thirteen. That means it'll take a lot of training if we're chosen tomorrow."_

_Kurogane frowned. "That doesn't scare me."_

_Souma snorted. "And what _does_ scare you?"_

_Kurogane squared his shoulders. "Defeat," he finally said._

_"So whenever I beat you in our little swordfights you were terrified of me?" she asked him slyly._

_"Will you please stop regarding everything as a joke?" he sighed exasperatedly._

_Souma grinned hugely in response. "It's something you do to me, my hot-headed cousin. I'm usually quiet, but when I'm with you, I always laugh." She winked. "You're funny without meaning to be."_

_Kurogane glared at her in response._

_Souma laughed again. When she had calmed down she turned to him. "So... what rank to you want to get to if we're entered in the Personal Guard?"_

_"That's still a long way off," he protested. "First, we hold the sessions tomorrow in front of the Royal Family. Then, out the one hundred students gathered there, ten are chosen by the king himself. Those ten students are then taken to the capital, where they will undertake rigorous training by the ninja of the Personal Guard. Once they're twenty years old, the students are tested, and if worthy, are entered in the Personal Guard, becoming fully-qualified ninja."_

_"I mean if we _are_ chosen, and if we pass those tests... as the years pass in the Personal Guard, judging by our strengths, we'll rise levels, won't we? I'm asking you what level you want to reach."_

_"I want to become the strongest," Kurogane responded. "So, naturally, I want to reach the rank of Lead Ninja."_

_Souma snorted again. "The Lead Ninja is the strongest ninja in Nihon. The only way you'll reach that level is if you battle with him and best him. Can you beat your own father?"_

_Kurogane fidgeted uncomfortably. "Not now, no. But by then, I'll have become strong enough."_

_Souma stretched. "But, as you said before, that day is a looooong way off."_

_"Yeah..." Kurogane sighed. "But no matter who or what gets in my way, I'll make it. I won't let the fact that he's my father stop me."_

_Souma smiled at him. "I know you can do it. It's just like you've always said. If you don't work to get to the top, then it's as if you haven't reached it at all. If we don't take risks, and do what we have to do according to our beliefs and goals, we'll always be left behind. But we mustn't be too hasty. And then again, if we wait too long, the opportunities will slip away. Nothing is forever." She paused. "So let's promise each other that we'll never turn back on anything. We'll always go forward, and never try to run or hide from a tough situation. Agreed?" She held out her hand._

_Kurogane smiled. "Agreed." He took the offered hand._

_They shook on it..._

Kurogane looked up from reminiscing. He knew that Sakura was right. He would eventually have to tell Tomoyo how he felt for her. And remembering what he and Souma had promised each other also made it perfectly clear that he couldn't afford to wait too long, and that he was avoiding the problem if he refused to say anything.

He could hear noises from the campsite; everyone was waking up. He stood, brushed his cloak free from the grass that clung to it, and made his way down the hill.

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After about an hour, they broke camp and were ready to go. Two riders led their mounts toward Souma and the foursome. Then, bowing, they left and sat behind two other riders, so that for one horse it was two riders.

"We can't really spare more horses, so this will have to do," Souma apologized. "It's two riders to each horse. I hope you know how to ride. If not, Kurogane can guide you."

"There was a need for us to travel on mounts in some other worlds we were in," Syaoran told her politely as he helped Sakura mount one of the horses, and climbed up after her. "So we already know the basics."

Kurogane also climbed onto a horse and held out his left hand to Fay. Fay grasped the offered hand and clambered up behind him. "I can't see," he muttered. "You're too tall."

"Well, if I can be of assistance, please, make suggestions. I'm open to them," Kurogane said sarcastically.

"Maybe I should sit up front," Fay suggested humorously. "That way I'll be able to see, and since you're taller, you'll see too."

"Not likely," Kurogane growled.

"But you said that I could make suggestions," Fay said indignantly.

"I didn't plan to follow any of them."

"Suit yourself," Fay said, shrugging. He whispered something to Mokona, who was sitting on his shoulder, and they both stifled laughter.

Kurogane fell into a very sour mood indeed.

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The next day, toward nightfall, they finally made it to the Capital. They followed the highway past the large gates leading into the city. Two ninja stood guard there, and nodded politely to Souma when she passed, but couldn't suppress their surprised expressions upon seeing the group.

"Boy, we sure stand out," Fay commented.

"Well, especially you, Fay-san," Souma told him, smiling. "You're blond, and everyone around here is dark-haired. You stick out like a sore thumb!"

"Ahaha!" Fay turned to Kurogane. "I like her! She has a sense of humor!"

"Aaaah... but you must know, that's because of Kurogane," Souma told him, winking. "He sort of rubs off of me like that. I take one look at him and try not to laugh."

"You too?!" Fay gasped. "That's just what happens to me, too! He's funny without meaning to, you know?"

"I know exactly what you mean," Souma smiled.

Fay also smiled.

Kurogane was shaking with undisguised fury. "When you've quite finished!" he shouted at them, a vein in his forehead popping.

Souma, Fay and Mokona exchanged looks, then were overcome by peals of laughter.

Kurogane resembled something between a thunderstorm and a monsoon as he seethed with anger. Sakura and Syaoran exchanged looks, but said nothing. It was best to leave Kurogane in peace when he looked livid.

They continued along the road and through the city, passing homes and shops. Although the time was late, people were still out, finishing some last-minute shopping. Some looked up at the riders passing, while others continued along their businesses, taking no heed. One girl, however, who had looked up when she heard the hooves approaching widened her eyes so much that they were in danger of popping out. "Kurogane!" she shrieked as she ran toward the riders.

Kurogane's eyes widened. "Suzue?!" he exclaimed as he jumped off of the horse and rushed to greet her. He held her in a fierce embrace.

"I missed you so much!" she sobbed.

"Who's that?" Sakura asked Souma curiously.

Souma smiled. "That's Suzue, Kurogane's little sister."

They reached the pair, where they reined up.

Suzue glared at Souma. "Why didn't you tell me he had returned?!" she demanded angrily.

Souma sweat-dropped. "I only found out myself two days ago," she giggled nervously.

Suzue was undoubtedly Kurogane's sister, for her glares were very much like his, and even rivaled a few of them. She turned to Kurogane and started jabbing him in the chest with every word she said. "Where have you been these last four years?! Princess Tomoyo told Father that she had sent you on a mission. But why didn't you even tell us before you got up and left?!" She glared at him.

"Erm..." It seemed Kurogane also had a problem with her stares, for he shrank back slightly. "It couldn't be postponed," he feebly said.

"Right, and you expect me to believe you?" She crossed her arms.

"Can we talk about this some other time? We're sort of in public, you know," Kurogane tried to reason with her.

Suzue stared hard at him. "You're probably on your way to Shirasagi Castle, aren't you?"

"Well... yeah."

She tapped her foot irritably. "You had better get your ass home sometime soon and explain yourself, you know. Mother nearly had a fit!"

"Hyu! She definitely _is_ your sister! She even talks like you!" Fay grinned at Kurogane.

Kurogane grunted in response.

Suzue smiled mischievously. "Well... who do you think he learned from?" she asked Fay.

"AHAHAHA! She sure put you down, didn't she?" Fay laughed at Kurogane.

Kurogane looked very pissed off, but he said nothing.

Suzue turned on Kurogane again. "So... as soon as you're finished with whatever you're going to do, you'd better get home. We'll be waiting," she said, and her voice sounded deadly.

"Er..." went Kurogane.

Suzue bowed. "I'm sorry for holding you up," she apologized to the others. "See you," she winked at Fay. Then she took off.

Kurogane muttered something incoherent as he climbed up onto the horse.

"Let's go," Souma called to the other ninja.

As they continued their route along the road toward the castle compound, Fay whispered to Kurogane, "Honestly now... are you angry with me?"

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Kurogane said sarcastically. "Of course I am!"

Fay smiled, "But your sister sure is cute. She's like you, only that she's a girl. Is she a ninja, too?"

Kurogane frowned. Fay thought his sister was 'cute'? He had better look out. "She's not a ninja. She's a weaver."

"But she's real spunky. She should've become a ninja, too."

Kurogane sniffed at Fay's choice word 'spunky'. If he said anything else, there was no way he would get away from being decapitated, curse or no curse. "She may be _spunky_," he said, emphasizing the word, "but she can't stomach a real battle."

"Aaah..." Fay said. "I see."

Thankfully, the rest of the trek was uneventful.

Finally, they approached the gates which led to the castle compound. They dismounted and gave up their horses to grooms who came to stable the horses.

Souma inspected the ninja carefully, then dismissed them. She turned to the others. "Follow me. I'll take you to Tomoyo-hime." She led them through the large ornamental gates, toward the castle. They passed the massive marble doors, which were guarded by four ninja wearing ceremonial armor, and crossed the threshold.

Their steps echoed hollowly against the marble walls as they continued along the hallway. Souma led them to a pair of ornately decorated doors which she pushed aside, striding into a large room with a throne situated at the end; undoubtedly, the throne room.

There was only one other person in the room, who had her back to them. She had long, dark hair which was intricately styled, and she wore elegantly-woven robes. She turned at the sound of the door opening, and regarded Souma with a pleased expression.

Now that they could see her face, they could see that she was neither old, nor young. Her deep purple eyes shone with wisdom, and her smile touched them all. Her skin was like flawless alabaster in smoothness and whiteness, and although she seemed petite, power radiated about her.

Souma bowed low in respect. The others followed suit.

"I'm so glad you came, Souma. Your timing couldn't have been better," Tomoyo said warmly. Her voice was melodious, and carried a hint of mischief. "But please, introduce me first to your guests, so that they can become my guests, as well."

Kurogane had edged little by little to stand behind Fay, not anxious for Tomoyo to spot him at the moment; he had no idea how she would react when she saw him. (Although Fay didn't hide him that much—Kurogane _was_ the tallest, after all.)

"I present to you her Imperial Highness, Princess Tomoyo, Ruler of Nihon and High Priestess of the Shinto Order," Souma formerly introduced Tomoyo to the others.

"Please, introduce yourselves," Tomoyo said graciously.

Sakura took a step forward. "I am Princess Sakura of Clow Country, and I am pleased to make your acquaintance," she said as she curtsied.

"Please, the pleasure is all mine," Tomoyo replied as she also curtsied to Sakura. Her eyes had gone bright at the sight of her, and she smiled kindly.

"I am Syaoran," Syaoran said as he took a step forward and bowed, "an archaeologist."

Tomoyo bowed her head to him in response. "A fine profession," she smiled.

"I am Fay D. Flourite," Fay said as he bowed (not too low, yet not disrespectfully—he was well-aware that Kurogane was behind him), "a former wizard of my former country, Celes."

"I am pleased to meet you, mage," she smiled mysteriously.

Mokona hopped down from Fay's shoulder, and bowed somewhat (it really didn't have a waist to do it properly), as it squeaked, "And I'm Mokona Modoki!" It jumped up to her. "Here's a pleased-to-meet-you handshake!"

Tomoyo laughed gaily as she shook Mokona's outstretched paw. "Why, aren't you a little one?"

Sakura smiled faintly. She could see why Kurogane had fallen for Tomoyo. She was practically perfect in every way.

Fay then stepped to one side, revealing Kurogane.

Kurogane took a few steps toward Tomoyo, then fell to his right knee, his left arm supporting his weight. He bowed low and murmured, "I have returned, Tomoyo-hime." He raised his head.

Tomoyo's eyes widened, but her expression was unfathomable. She remained like that for about ten seconds, then shook her head slightly as she smiled at him. "Please stand, my good friend."

Kurogane rose to his feet, and looked at Tomoyo. She was just as he remembered her. Elegant, polite, and royal, her beauty surpassing all other times.

Tomoyo's eyes still had a strange look about them, but it passed when she smiled mischievously at Kurogane. "Was your journey educational?"

Kurogane considered what to respond. "Very," he said truthfully.

"Good," she smiled. "That was the point. It seems that you have changed for the better, Kurogane..." She looked up at them. "Your timing couldn't have been more perfect. I have important news." She looked at each of them in turn, finally ending at Kurogane. She frowned slightly, but smiled at them. "You are undoubtedly Kurogane's traveling companions. So you will be my honored guests, and I would like for all of you to witness the ceremony."

Kurogane arched his eyebrows. "Ceremony?"

"Yes," Tomoyo smiled. "In two days I am to be married. And I would like for you all to attend."

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** Kazuo and Suzue are characters I created, and all of the tests I mentioned and the Academy are of my fashioning, as the Personal Guard. I'd initially used some Japanese phrases to refer to titles and namesakes, but I finally decided to forgo them and just use the proper English phrases. They sounded too awkward to maintain in an English text.

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	4. Understandings

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 4 — Understandings**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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Kurogane felt as if the ground supporting his weight had suddenly given way. He felt light-headed and dizzy. A constricting pain in his chest prevented him from breathing properly. His eyes were wide in surprise, shock, and numb disbelief.

His very heart had stopped.

In his mind, he heard Tomoyo's last words over and over again. _"...I am to be married in two days..."_ That was all he heard, and that was all he knew.

It couldn't possibly be true. It couldn't be. His mind couldn't—_wouldn't_—accept it. But there was no doubt that it was indeed the truth. He couldn't deny it, no matter how much he wanted to. However, Tomoyo was still talking, and he struggled to comprehend her next words.

Souma had asked her when this had happened, so Tomoyo proceeded to explain, also for the benefit of the others.

"Two weeks ago, just a few days after you left to patrol the Highway, Prince Dai visited me again, and this time he proposed. We started making preparations immediately..." and she continued to give Souma details about how the ceremony would take place.

Somewhere in Tomoyo's words, Kurogane caught the phrase 'the nation of Semba'. Semba was a country situated at the southern borders of Nihon, but it was also one of the countries that had had more than hostile intentions for Nihon in the past, as he recalled.

Semba? What did Semba have to do with Nihon? Kurogane felt very confused. He then recalled the name Dai... Dai was the name of one of the princes of Semba. Kurogane could not understand what had made Tomoyo accept the proposal of one of Semba's princes, not after what had happened years before...

So when Tomoyo turned to Kurogane and said, "I'd also like for you to attend, but not as one of my ninja; as one of my honored guests," he could not hold himself back any longer.

"But, Princess..." he began.

Fay laid his hand on Kurogane's shoulder and squeezed it lightly.

"When did this happen? And how?" Kurogane blurted.

"Oh..." she said. "I'm sorry. Of course you wouldn't know. You've been gone for over four years..." Her eyebrows creased in thought.

Kurogane exhaled as he frowned in anger. He didn't have to be reminded of the fact.

Tomoyo pursed her lips. "Shortly after your departure we made peace with Semba, and about a year ago, Prince Dai started visiting me frequently. Well... the outcome is fairly obvious, isn't it?" she smiled, but to Sakura, the smile seemed false and forced.

Sakura took in a slow deep breath, trying to calm her mind and use her senses. She had sensed more than loneliness emanating from Kurogane the other day, and she could sense something more from Tomoyo now. But how was it possible for her to be sensing other feelings as well? She thought it was only possible for her to feel loneliness; but now it was obvious she could sense other feelings as well, for she _knew_ that Tomoyo felt a deep regret, and that she felt a peculiar longing and tender emotion when regarding Kurogane. But if Tomoyo felt so, then why was she marrying someone else? Sakura frowned as she pondered the matter.

Tomoyo clapped her hands together. "It is late, and you all must be hungry and tired. I will call someone to lead you to the guest rooms, where food will also be brought to you. I hope you will all join me tomorrow, for I would like to learn more about how your mission is getting along."

Syaoran's eyes widened. "How—?" he spluttered, then went red at this sudden outburst. He bowed low. "I'm sorry..." he mumbled.

"Ohohoho," Tomoyo chuckled. "It is quite all right. Yes... I know all about your mission. It is one of the reasons why I sent Kurogane away. I just needed the motive," she smiled mischievously at them and winked.

Fay howled with laughter as he slapped his knee with mirth. "Oh, you _are_ devious!"

Tomoyo smiled back at him. "I suppose I am. I've often been told that I have a tricky sense of humor."

"Oh, I don't think I'd call it 'tricky'. I'd define it as 'unique'," Fay grinned.

Kurogane crossed his arms and scowled. So he had been some sort of pawn? In what? A life-size chess game? Then his bloodlust had only been an excuse? But why him? Why was he 'chosen' to take part in this journey? Why him, and not someone else? Was it all some sort of test? Had Tomoyo been so willing to get rid of him? Did his five years of faithful service since becoming a full-fledged ninja mean nothing to her? And her getting married... there was no hope for him whatsoever. He had dawdled too long, postponing the chance to speak to her while he was still in her service, and now it was too late. Kurogane's head seemed to swirl with these thoughts as he tried to sort them out.

Sakura noticed Kurogane's reaction, and lifted her head slightly as she tried to pick off the emotions coming from him. She sensed a large disappointment, confusion, anger, and, worst of all, a deep feeling of self-loathing for ever daring to hope that there might have been a chance for him and Tomoyo. Not to mention the fact that he once thought that his transportation from Nihon had been for his killing-obsession, when in reality turned out that it was destiny lending a helping hand.

Sakura bit on her lower lip in worry, and put her hand to her cheek. She felt terribly sorry for him, and although wanted to do something to help him feel better, didn't know what or how.

Tomoyo turned to Kurogane. "I'm sorry if all of this seems sudden... and I'm sorry that I didn't tell you from the start that this was meant to happen. But it seems it actually turned out for the best." She smiled faintly, wistfully. "The fact that you are no longer bloodthirsty is a very good thing, and I'm so glad you could make it on time for the wedding. But the time is late." She rang a small silver bell.

A servant entered through the side doors and bowed low before Tomoyo, waiting for her orders. He wore a simple gray robe and his dark hair was cut short. He seemed worn with age, but his appearance showed that he had once been very well-built.

"Please, lead my guests to some rooms, and have food brought to them," Tomoyo told him kindly.

"Yes, Princess," he murmured as he bowed yet again, and led the foursome (five including Mokona) from the throne room toward the long hallway.

After about ten minutes, guiding them through the marble halls past many intricately carved doors, he stopped before a pair of doors which he opened, leading them into a spacious sitting room. Deep green velvet curtains hung about the windows, as the furniture was of the deepest mahogany. A beautiful chandelier hung above their heads, and they seated themselves in the comfortable armchairs, upholstered with a strange blue material Syaoran did not recognize. Four doors led from the room into others.

The man bowed. "This is where you can spend your waking hours, and these four doors lead into bedrooms for you to use. Just wait here a moment and I'll bring you some food. It won't be much," he apologized, "but at least it will be more satisfying compared to travel rations." He stood and regarded Kurogane with awe. "Welcome back, Kurogane-sama," he said solemnly.

Kurogane nodded absent-mindedly, not really paying attention to him.

The man bowed low and departed.

The five of them just sat there, not knowing what to say.

Fay suppressed a shiver. This stony silence coming from Kurogane was a million times worse than his shouting spells, and betrayed the fact that finding out so much had changed in his absence had unsettled him. Fay frowned. He grudgingly felt sorry for Kurogane. Who wouldn't upon looking at his expression; worn, resigned, and defeated? Not at all like the strong-willed ninja Fay used to know.

Syaoran regarded Kurogane curiously. He had noticed that Kurogane had been acting strangely ever since their arrival in Nihon. At first Syaoran had thought it was because of him not wanting them to find out about his past killing obsession, but somehow, Syaoran thought, it ran a little deeper than that. Kurogane had seemed positively flustered, and shocked when he learned that Tomoyo was to be married. Perhaps...? Syaoran suppressed a small smile. But then he frowned upon remembering that nothing could happen now that she was to wed. In some ways, Kurogane reminded Syaoran of himself, not wanting to say anything to the object of his desire about his true feelings, realizing that it was not in his place... Such a predicament had also plagued Kurogane. In that moment, Syaoran felt closer to the ninja than ever before, understanding the torn feeling inside of him, as it was in him as well.

Sakura regarded Kurogane anxiously as he sat across from her, brooding, his arms folded over his chest as he stared blankly into space. He seemed so unlike his usual self. Although he was usually quiet, he would carefully observe what was going on around him, even though it seemed as if he could care less. But this eerie passive state he had lapsed into, which had robbed him of all speech and had reduced him to a silent figure, tore at her heart. She felt so terribly sorry for his loss, and couldn't help but feel guilty, having tried to persuade him before reaching the Capital to confess his feelings to Tomoyo.

She closed her eyes and probed through his awareness. Using her senses she could actually _feel_ his pain herself, which seemed to stab her very soul. She drew back in alarm. How was it possible for someone to be feeling such mental pain without having sustained any physical injuries? It hurt so much... Kurogane had truly been dealt a terrible blow. Perhaps several by the looks of it.

Out of the corner of her eyesight, she caught a glimpse of Fay staring at her, his mouth slightly agape, wearing a curious expression on his face. But she was sure that she had imagined it, for when she turned her head to get a better look she saw that he wasn't looking at her at all; like all of them, his eyes were fixed worriedly upon Kurogane.

Once Sakura's eyes had flitted back toward Kurogane, Fay shot another glance in her direction again. He had 'heard' her use of magic and was pondering whether that meant that Sakura was getting stronger, stronger than he had ever thought possible. Indeed, it was quite apparent to him that her strengths did not only derive from her kind heart; she was also gifted with the extraordinary powers of magic. Fay hid a small smile. That girl had remarkable potential, he had to give her that. Why, with the proper training, Sakura could become a great mage. Perhaps as strong as himself...

Fay shook his head. Old memories of past happenings and events he pushed aside. For with great power came great responsibility. And the desire for more power led to greedy thoughts and actions, as had only proved too true back in Celes...

But he was interrupted in reminiscing as the door opened once more, and the servant re-entered, weighed down, carrying a heavy platter with food. "The Princess would like for you to join her tomorrow morning for breakfast. I shall pass by tomorrow to show you to her quarters." He set it on the low table before them and bowed out.

The five of them settled themselves on fine satin cushions situated around the table, and started eating. No words passed between them as they ate their fill in silence. The food was neither elaborate, yet neither dissatisfying—it certainly beat the fare they had on the road. The servant returned shortly after they had finished and took away the empty platter, leaving them without words. Only then did they look up at each other.

During the meal Kurogane had been considering all that had happened, finally reaching the conclusion that he had to perform his duty and cast away all personal feelings until he had settled the matter. He had to find out what had made Semba accept peace when they were one of the most warlike nations around Nihon. He looked up to the others and was slightly surprised at the looks upon their faces. They regarded him with something akin to pity. So... they were all aware of his feelings for Tomoyo. Kurogane did not want their pity. There was more at stake here than his personal emotions. Semba could be plotting against Nihon for all he knew. It had proven so in the past. How could Tomoyo do this to Nihon? To herself? Had she so easily forgotten what had happened eleven years ago? Kurogane clenched his fist and started to tremble with rage.

"Kurogane-san..." Sakura started to say, but he held his hand up to stop her continuing.

"I know what you guys're thinking," he said, his voice shaking slightly, "but that's not the present problem." He stood and started to pace about the room restlessly. "How could Tomoyo-hime trust those bastards?!" he fumed. "It's obvious they want to sabotage her!"

When they looked at him uncomprehendingly he breathed in deeply a few times, trying to calm himself as he stopped pacing. He rubbed his hands together. "Okay... this'll take some explaining." He sat down upon his cushion again with a _ploof_. He pored himself some saké and drained his cup in one go. He surveyed the others while fingering his empty cup, as if judging how much he should tell them. He half-shrugged as if saying, "What the heck?" and filled his cup again.

"Semba's a country situated at Nihon's southern borders. The nation of Semba's very warlike, and always desires more land and slaves to harvest them. Countless times in the history of Nihon there've been border battles and clashes. All these attacks were, thankfully, badly organized, and were repelled easily by Nihon's border guards." He paused, a haunted look in his eyes, as he took a sip from his saké.

"But around eleven years ago, all of Semba's clans gathered together to meet. Previously, there'd be small clans with clan leaders, and each clan would do as it pleased. But for some reason, they gathered together, choosing a supreme Warleader to rule over all clans.

"They became extremely well-organized and launched an unexpected surprise-attack upon Nihon's borders, overrunning the border guards. Then the Sembians made their way to the closest village. They burned and plundered what they could, slaughtering all of the inhabitants... including the women, the children, and the aged. They left none alive... at least until they were finished toying with them," he said darkly.

They caught the meaning behind his words. It was out of respect for Sakura that he did not speak more bluntly.

Sakura shivered. _How could they be so cruel?_

Syaoran instinctively took her hand in his and squeezed it reassuringly, feeling her at unease.

Sakura blushed slightly and smiled back in thanks.

Kurogane joined his hands, thinking. "When news of this had reached the King of Nihon, he couldn't sit back idly and watch his country being butchered. He gathered his army and marched southward, leaving his Queen and daughter behind to be safe in the company of a hundred ninja, fifty of which were still in training, Souma and myself included.

"While the king fought valiantly and drove Semba off, he was grievously wounded and died upon the battlefield. But none had known that Semba had only sent a portion of its army to meet with the king and had sent the bulk of it to Shirasagi Castle."

Sakura gave a small gasp. "And then?" she breathed.

Kurogane drained his cup and sighed heavily. "We were unprepared, and so few fully-qualified ninja had been left behind. Reinforcements would have been too late to arrive, so the ninja of the Personal Guard had no choice but to allow us ninja-in-training to battle as well." He paused as memories washed over him. "I remember a great mass of them swarming the castle gates, and our forces being greatly outnumbered. We were pushed back, and they swarmed into the castle..." He fell silent for several moments. He raised his head. "Confusion was everywhere. You didn't dare stay still for anyone to take a swipe at you. As I battled, I heard a scream. It was a girl's." He paused. "I thought it might've been Souma, so I followed the sound. I ran through the hallways and once I reached the throne room I walked in on a horrid sight."

Sakura clenched Syaoran's hand tightly, fearing the worst.

Syaoran and Mokona were listening intently, hanging upon Kurogane's every word.

Fay simply arched his eyebrows, politely curious.

Kurogane stared into space. "The Queen had been brutally murdered, and the Princess had been cornered by three thugs ready to have some more fun. One of them heard me enter and made a run for it. I let him go, but I saw that the others had paid no heed to me and were still advancing on the Princess. I don't know what came over me then. My mind seemed to cloud, and I charged at them and killed them with one blow."

Kurogane stood and walked toward the window. He gazed at the crescent moon, which had risen to form a graceful arc over the mountains. "From that moment on, I vowed to spare none. I would never forgive anyone for trying to have their way with the Princess.

"However, that was not the end of it. Battle still raged in the corridors. I took hold of the Princess's wrist and told her to stay close to me. I had every intention of handing her over to some senior ninja, but I saw none around me at all. All had been killed. I walked in on a corridor which was filled with those scumbags. Upon seeing the Princess, many tried to get at her, but I slaughtered them all." He gave a harsh, short laugh, which sounded more like a bark. "None could stop me as I continued onward. All fell before me.

"She barley flinched and I was somewhat surprised at that, for her mother had been killed before her very eyes. I didn't really pay attention though, as I supposed that the shock of one death was enough to numb the rest." He traced his mouth thoughtfully with one finger. "Now that I think about it, though, she's never really approved of my killing... but she had said nothing then... only afterward..." He shrugged.

"Anyway, Nihon's army returned shortly after the death of the Queen and beat off the rest of the Sembians. I handed over the Princess to the Lead Ninja, who had battled at the King's side." Kurogane bowed his head. "Normally, the Lead Ninja would've been proud that a trainee had successfully protected the Princess. But not my father. He thought that I should've tried more, that I should've somehow protected the Queen. I had never felt so humiliated in my life as he started telling me off right in front of the Princess..." Kurogane shook his head furiously. "But she explained that I couldn't have done anything, for she had screamed after it had happened. So my father let the issue drop.

"And from that moment on, she became the ruler of Nihon. A twelve year-old..." Kurogane turned to them. "So you see why I'm confused. How could Tomoyo-hime be marrying one of the princes of the nation that had taken her parents away from her?"

They didn't have an answer to that. From what Kurogane had just told them, he had every right to doubt this sudden change.

Syaoran fidgeted. "Didn't you say that Semba was composed of clans?"

"Yeah," Kurogane answered.

"So how is it possible to have princes?"

Kurogane turned. "Didn't I say that they elected a leader?"

Syaoran nodded.

"Well, they kept that leader. He became the first King of Semba. And since he ascended to royal status, so did his sons." Kurogane started pacing about the room again, his hands clasped behind his back.

Fay frowned. "And your bloodlust must've started then, didn't it?"

Kurogane froze. "Yes," he muttered, then continued pacing.

"And they've always wanted Nihon?" Sakura asked him.

"Yeah..."

"So maybe Semba decided to take Nihon without spilling blood. Maybe with this marriage, Nihon and Semba will automatically merge."

Kurogane came to an abrupt stop. "That can't be possible. Tomoyo-hime wouldn't give up her country to slavery just because of one prince." He continued his repetitive steps as he muttered, "How could she have forgotten such an event? Why did she accept? What could Semba be up to? They can't have changed their motives, I mean, come on, even after the war they sent assassins to try and get rid of her. Typical of Sembians to think that they could kill her, even though she's got magic. And Tomoyo-hime's magic protects Nihon... But Souma said it's not working properly anymore... So maybe Semba has something to do with this? But they've got no mages... And how could they have gotten close enough to disable her...? But still, that doesn't change the fact that she said yes..." Kurogane fell upon the couch like a sack of potatoes and buried his face in his hands. "I don't know what to make of this," he croaked, and by the sound of his voice he seemed to be on the verge of collapsing with exhaustion.

Sakura got up and sat beside him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Kurogane-san. You're tired, and it's only natural for you to feel helpless now. So much has changed in your absence that you feel unable to do a thing."

He looked up at her, a surprised expression on his face. Then he frowned. "Are you sensing me again?" he accused her.

Sakura giggled. "Not this time. This time it was all you."

"Is it that obvious?" he asked, dumbfounded.

Fay burst out laughing. "Of course it is! You poured out your whole heart there before us, letting out some things you probably shouldn't have let slip." He winked.

"Like what?" he asked angrily.

"The fact that you were terribly disappointed that your father didn't appreciate your tries, for one," Fay answered. "And anyway, the five of us have been together for over four years. You'd think that we'd know each other by now. What each facial expression means, what one meant to say... you know, by little things."

"So... what? You can read me like an open book?" Kurogane asked them weakly. He was not at all used to people being able to predetermine his actions and words.

"It's because we've been together for such a long time," Syaoran told him. "We've developed a special bond between ourselves. Even if we only exchange glances we can understand what the other is thinking. We have what is called a close friendship."

Mokona hopped up onto Kurogane's shoulder. "And since we're friends, we'll help ya! Judging all that you told us, this whole Sembian thing is smelling really, really fishy!"

"Maybe Sakura-chan's feather has something to do with the strange changes in Nihon," mused Fay. "Remember those assassins? Perhaps she..." He faltered.

"What?" Kurogane asked him. He stood up abruptly. "If whatever you were going to say has anything to do with Tomoyo-hime, you've got to tell me!" He wore a determined and anxious expression that spoke volumes.

Fay was taken aback somewhat. Kurogane seemed greatly troubled about Princess Tomoyo... But Fay had to keep his suspicions from him; he did not want to worry him even more. Fay averted Kurogane's penetrating gaze.

"It _is_ something about her, isn't it?" Kurogane accused him. "Tell me!"

Fay scratched the back of his head, thinking quickly. "No," he said evenly and carefully, "I wasn't going to say anything about Princess Tomoyo. What I wanted to comment on were your suspicions on Semba having mages. You said that they don't. And if they had mages..." He shrugged exaggeratedly. "Well, if they had actually used active magic, I would've sensed them. But I've sensed nothing so far. So, maybe if the Sembians really are up to something and they're using magic, they may have the feather."

Kurogane crossed his arms and glared at Fay. "You said 'perhaps she' before." His eyes became narrow slits as he growled, "Who were you referring to?"

"To Sakura-chan, of course," Fay said quickly. "We're talking about gathering her feathers, aren't we?" He turned to Mokona, who had just leapt onto Kurogane's head. "So? Do you feel the vibes?"

Mokona cocked its ears. "I do... but something is interfering..." it said seriously.

"Interfering?" Syaoran asked in alarm. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm picking up tons of magical signals here!" Mokona said indignantly. "This place is full of loads of magic! It's hard to sort through it all!" it squeaked as it energetically slapped its paws on Kurogane's head (Kurogane winced while he tried to deliver a punch to it). "But I'll try my very best to sort through them as quick as I can!"

Mokona then leaned forward to survey Kurogane upside-down. "You need help with your problem, right?"

Kurogane waved his hand irritably to swat Mokona away (the creature drew up with an excited giggle). "I don't. This is my problem. Your problem is finding the feather." He regarded them warily, curious to see their reactions. _So... it's finally come down to this_, he thought.

Silence fell as the fact that Kurogane was, indeed, not going to help them in this adventure began to sink in. His journey was over, of course, and they couldn't force him to help them any longer. He had said it himself. He had only been helping them so he could get to Nihon sooner. Now that this had come to pass...

"You're right," Syaoran said seriously. "Now that you've finally made it back to Nihon, we can't compel you to help us any longer. And anyway, you have problems of your own." He then got a determined expression on his face. "But please, allow us to help you. Think of it as a repayment for all the times you've helped us out."

"Yeah!" Mokona piped up. "Besides, we're friends! Friends help each other!" It paused and put his paw to its chin, as if considering something. "I'll stop bugging you, just this once, so I can help you! Though it'll be difficult..." it admitted.

Kurogane stared at each of them in turn. Syaoran with his serious gaze, Sakura with her sunny smile, and Fay with his ever-present mocking expression. He pried Mokona off of his head and regarded him as well. Mokona grinned at him. They all looked at him expectantly and warmly. They were smiling at him.

A deep sense of gratitude and compassion for them overwhelmed him. He had never felt so cared for. Despite his abrupt manner, his awful attitude, his violent appearance, and basically the bad image he displayed for the world, these companions of his, these _friends_ of his, had seen past all that, into his very soul. He felt more close to them now than ever before. He would dearly miss them when it was time for them to leave.

His emotions were threatening to overwhelm him, something that had never happened to him before. He bowed his head. "Thanks, guys," he said hoarsely.

He grinned at them broadly in thanks, something that shocked Mokona, Fay, Sakura, and Syaoran even more than his words. They had never seen him smile in such a way. A genuine smile, quite unlike the usual grimaces he wore in the heat of battle, or when he amused himself by provoking others. He looked years younger to Syaoran. It suited him, he believed.

With Kurogane's feelings now very strong, he patted Mokona on the head and handed him to Sakura wordlessly. He reached out and smoothed her hair, and still wearing his smile, shook Syaoran's hand warmly, and then clapped Fay's shoulder. Then he retired to one of the bedrooms.

Fay arched one of his eyebrows. "Now there's a side to him I've never seen before." he chuckled good-naturedly. "It looks like we've really changed him for the better."

"Yeah..." Syaoran agreed. He looked up at Fay. "But what were you trying to hide from him before?"

Fay looked at them curiously. "Was it so evident?"

"Yes," Sakura confirmed with a grin.

Fay leaned back. "Well," he said, "it was in fact something to do with Tomoyo-hime. But since it's only a theory, I didn't want to worry him unnecessarily." He lifted his head in thought. "Tomoyo-hime might be under some sort of spell. A mind-controlling one. But those kind of spells are cleverly concocted, which means it'll take some time for me to find out if this is the case."

Sakura gasped. "Can it be true?" she asked him anxiously.

Fay shrugged. "It's possible."

"Well, we'll have to look into this. At least it's something to do before Mokona pins down the feather's vibes," Syaoran said as he stood up. "And anyway, I want to help Kurogane-san find out the truth about the Sembians."

"Yeah, me too," Sakura said. She formed fists as she said in a strong voice, "He's our friend, and he deserves it! He's helped us out so much already!"

"Uh-huh!" Mokona piped up. "We can call it a farewell present!"

Fay grinned. "That's a good idea, Mokona." Then he sighed, finally voicing the words he had been thinking about for quite some time. "I'll sure miss him."

Syaoran lowered his head. "I will, too. Although he gave off a stern appearance at first, I honestly think that he's changed with us."

Sakura remained silent. "I'm not sure if I'm right to say this," she began, "but Kurogane-san reminds me of my brother. Deep down, my brother has my best interests at heart, even though it hardly seems like it since he picks on me all the time. It's the same with Kurogane-san. He has our best interests at heart, too, even though he might think of us as a nuisance at times."

Mokona smiled hugely. "That's actually a good way of describing Kurogane!"

Fay then stood and stretched lazily. "But I think we should sort of give him some room now. You know, some time alone. It seems to me he needs it."

"But not too much, so he knows we support him," Syaoran stated firmly.

"I think he already realizes it," Sakura said quietly. "He probably feels about us the same way we feel about him. But because of his training, he doesn't really know how to show it."

There was silence for a few moments.

"Well, now that that's all said and done, I'm gonna get some shut-eye." Fay yawned hugely. "G'night," he said as he entered one of the bedrooms, Mokona hopping in after him.

Syaoran stretched his arms high above his head. "We should probably get to bed, too."

"Yeah..." Sakura said distractedly. She looked up at Syaoran. "Are you okay?" she asked him seriously.

Syaoran regarded her with curiosity. "Sure..." he started to say.

"I wanted to ask you about that fight," Sakura said, cutting down to the chase. "You were acting very strangely." She looked at him worriedly. "Are you sure there's nothing wrong?"

As Syaoran gazed deeply into her eyes, he had half a mind to actually tell her what had really happened, but after a moment he thought better of it, coming back to his senses. "Really, I'm fine," he assured her.

Sakura did not seem to believe him, but she did not press the issue. "All right... well, good night."

"Good night, Princess."

Sakura went to open one of the bedroom doors. Before entering, she turned to smile at Syaoran, causing him to blush furiously. Then she closed the door behind her with a soft _click_.

Syaoran sighed heavily. His mind seemed fit to burst with the past events. And he knew that the only way to actually get down to some good-quality thinking was to get a good night's sleep. And with that, he retired to the last bedroom.

———————————————

Tomoyo sighed as she regarded the moon's pale glow. Things had taken an abrupt turn. Too abrupt for her liking. Just when she had thought she had put all of her past feelings behind her, he had showed up again. Her feelings, which she had believed quenched, had been kindled and relit again, as a dying fire which had once more been given fuel to burn.

But why? And at such a time? She was to marry in less than forty-eight hours, and instead of thinking about Dai, her future husband, her thoughts were constantly on Kurogane...

She was thinking foolishly. What did the ninja see in her? Nothing, except his sovereign. As if he could ever regard her as something more...

Tomoyo left her balcony and entered the safety of her chambers. She surveyed herself critically in the mirror, taking in the petite silhouette and the white nightgown. Even plainly dressed, she unwillingly preserved an air of authority.

He would never come to regard her as something more or less than a princess.

Tomoyo furiously shook her head. No, she mustn't be thinking about him anymore. What about Dai? _What about him?_ a part of her mind asked her. _I'm to marry him!_ answered another part. _But you don't really love him_, replied the first. _Would you prefer to be married and heart-broken, or single and able to have a chance to win Kurogane over?_

Tomoyo hung her head sadly. She had already made a choice. She couldn't back out now. She had dived in too deep, and she could no longer resurface. And besides, Dai loved her. She could tell. Although her magic failed to sense him, by his actions and by the way he gazed at her adoringly, she could tell that Dai was deeply in love with her.

Kurogane...? His face was always a mask. She could never tell what he was feeling.

But her heart throbbed painfully. She yearned to be with him. She had never really wanted to send him away, but the Witch of the East had insisted... and Tomoyo's own scrying had proved that it was a necessity for Kurogane to take part in retrieving Sakura's feathers, or the Fellowship would be doomed to failure.

It was as the Prophecy Yuuko had showed her stated. The Four Companions; the Beloved One, the Devoted One, the Lost One, and the Reluctant One. Each represented a member of the group; Sakura, Syaoran, Fay... and Kurogane. Four very different people uniting under a single cause; retrieving the Beloved One's memories from the ultimate evil. Fei Wang Reed...

Even Tomoyo herself had heard of the man who sought the ability to travel through dimensions at will. It was clear that he must be stopped at all costs, for no one could be allowed such power with plans as devilish as his.

But now that Kurogane had returned... Tomoyo recalled the Prophecy's words as clearly as if she had the old scroll in her hands.

_"And one of the universes the Fellowship wilt fall unto shalt be the home-world of the Reluctant One. Faced with a difficult choice he wilt be, for the unanswered question shalt be voiced. Henceforth wilt the Fellowship be stripped by the parting of the Reluctant One, or shalt it be the Reluctant One's desire to journey onward along with his companions? For—"_

However, at that point, the old writing had been smeared, and neither she nor Yuuko had been able to decipher it. If they had tried to use their powers, the Prophecy would have become unbalanced, ensuring Fei Wang's immediate success. After the smeared lines the prophecy read: _"And they wilt be faced with a world giving unto Darkness, and the path..."_ And it continued so, describing the next world the Fellowship would be transported to. If it could be called so, for it gave no hint whatsoever which world it actually was. That was the case when the Prophecy described each world they fell into—they were too general to fully be relied on.

Tomoyo believed the words of the Prophecy, but she found it infuriating that it was full of gibberish and nonsense at times, making it incomprehensible for pages on end. But Yuuko had insisted that the prophecy had meant Kurogane when it referred to the Reluctant One. Kurogane had been the only ninja fitting the description, for the Prophecy had also referred to him as the Dragon Lord.

Kurogane _did_ in fact use dragon-based special techniques, and there were rumors that he associated with dragons whenever away on long journeys... it all fit.

So, with a heavy heart, Tomoyo had used the pretence of his bloodlust to exile him. She actually did find his habit of butchering repulsive, but she could bear it, since he only killed those with evil intentions. But to fit the reason for transporting him, she had had to curse him as well.

Tomoyo smiled smugly. It had actually turned out for the best. Kurogane was now more attractive than ever, especially without the bloodstains donning his cloak. And he was certainly more rugged-looking, adding to his charm...

Tomoyo blushed sheepishly at these thoughts. Then she furiously reprimanded herself. How could she be marrying someone when she was having such thoughts about another man?

But there was nothing she could do to stop herself. She was in love. And not with Dai... with Kurogane... there was no denying it...

She couldn't hide the fact forever, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything to Dai... could she? Could she stop the wedding? She imagined the shocked look on Dai's face. The sadness in his eyes... no, she couldn't bear to cause him such pain.

Tomoyo shivered and wrapped her arms about her shoulders. She couldn't call off the wedding. No, she was going to have to go through with it. She had an obligation to her people to fulfill. She couldn't back out now. What would that make her? A coward?

And if she did call off the wedding and it turned out that Kurogane didn't feel the same way...?

Tomoyo entered her chambers and nestled under the covers of her bed. No matter what she truly wished, she owed Nihon. It was her duty as the Princess. Personal emotions she had to cast away. They no longer mattered. She would have to forget about the way she felt for Kurogane. She would have to forget him, force him out of her mind and heart.

"At least there will be peace between our nations," she murmured to the soft breeze tickling her cheeks. And, with that, she was gently lulled to sleep by the whispering wind.

She dreamed. And she hoped.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** Dai is a character I created, and Semba is an imaginary country situated at the southern borders of Nihon. Imagine the large island, as it is now, only separated in half, with Nihon to the north and Semba to the south. Yeah, I know I'm manipulating history and geography, but whatever. It's just a fan fic! XP

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	5. Mysteries Unraveled

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 5 — Mysteries Unraveled**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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Syaoran awoke abruptly to a strange noise. He frowned, wondering what it could be. After a few moments he realized that someone was knocking on his door.

His eyes were still glued with sleep as he sluggishly rose himself from his bed. He placed one hand on the door handle, but had to suppress a large yawn before opening it. He pulled the door open and came face to face with a startled Sakura, whose hand was poised upward, ready to knock again.

"G-g-good morning, Princess," Syaoran greeted her, failing to stifle yet another yawn.

"Good morning, Syaoran-kun," Sakura smiled. "The man's here to take us to Tomoyo-hime. You'd better get ready, or we're going to be late. Here are some clothes for you."

"Thanks," Syaoran replied as Sakura turned, closing the door behind her, but not before shooting him a hurried grin.

Syaoran sighed. He splashed cold water on his face and tried to remember what he had been dreaming about. Something about a dark place, and someone calling him, and telling him that the time was nearing. But even these few recollections seemed to be slipping from his grasp, irretrievable, like the water that seeped through the creases in his cupped hands.

Water... he was trying to hold on to water. His memories were like the liquid that nurtured all life; at times he seemed almost able to hold onto them, before realizing that they had escaped once more. Such was the tantalizing game his memories would play on him.

Syaoran half-shrugged. Now was not the time to dwell on such matters. He quickly got dressed with the robes he had been given and entered the sitting room, where the others were waiting for him.

"You look great!" Mokona squeaked.

Syaoran spread his arms to get a better look at himself. He didn't find anything remotely special about the clothes he was wearing. He was wearing a green kimono tucked in a light-brown hakama with green designs on it, resembling leaves. He raised his head to regard the others.

Sakura seemed to glow. She had donned a light-pink kimono tied with a white obi sash, with white cherry blossom designs upon it. She blushed deeply as she gazed at Syaoran.

Kurogane had put on a black kimono and hakama, and had strapped his sword at his side. He was leaning against one of the walls, his arms crossed over his chest.

Fay's eye-color was brilliantly brought out with the white kimono and sky-blue hakama he wore. He grinned as he greeted Syaoran cheerfully, "Good morning! How did you sleep?"

"Okay," Syaoran responded.

"Then let's go already! I'm starved!" Mokona tittered.

If the servant was curious about Mokona and its origins, he did not show it. He bowed low and led them through the hallways. In contrast with yesterday, the corridors were packed today. People were scurrying along about their businesses, some of them shooting curious, fleeting glances in the group's direction, while others passed them by without notice.

Soon they reached a pair of large doors that were flanked by two ninja wearing ceremonial armor. They nodded to the group and opened the doors for them, skirting to the side so that they could pass.

The servant led them inside a luxurious and spacious sitting room. Ornately-carved furniture decorated the room, and the table had been set for six, with soft velvet cushions for seats. The marble floor was a soft green hue, while the walls were a pale pink. Beautifully woven tapestries hung upon the walls, with bookcases lining them. Two doors led from the room, but their attention was drawn to the space across them.

Lavender-colored gossamer curtains fluttered in the breeze, leading to a large balcony where one lone figure was leaning on the railing, her back to them.

The servant cleared his voice, and announced that the guests had arrived.

Tomoyo turned from her reminiscing and couldn't suppress her happy smile when she spotted Kurogane. "That will be all," she said kindly to the servant.

He bowed low and departed, closing the double doors behind him.

"Did you get a good night's sleep?" she asked as she approached them. She looked extravagant in emerald-green robes, with the purple piping adorning the hem and sleeves of her robes perfectly matching her eyes. Her hair was done in a long braid, entwined with silver-seeming strands. A band of silver fitted with a small silver crescent moon was also wound about her forehead. Her moves were graceful as she came to stand before them.

Kurogane could not help but stare at her in awe. She took his very breath away.

"Yes, we did," Fay grinned. "And thanks for the robes."

"Oh, that was nothing," Tomoyo smiled. "I just wanted you to feel comfortable. Of course, you'll get more formal garments for the wedding."

Somehow, the statement brought Kurogane back to earth, and he took on one of his more prominent expressions.

Tomoyo turned. "Well, I won't keep you waiting. You must all be hungry." She led them toward the small table where she sat at the head of one end. Kurogane seated himself at Tomoyo's right, and Sakura sat beside him, while Fay and Syaoran sat across them. Mokona squealed with delight that Tomoyo hadn't forgotten it, and showered her with little kisses of appreciation as it took the last seat, across from Tomoyo.

"Help yourselves." She took one of the platters and served herself.

The others followed suit, and were soon enjoying their unusual breakfast. None of them had ever eaten anything similar, except for Kurogane, of course. Mokona especially enjoyed the piquant sauce, and it kept on singing, _"It's tangy and spicy!"_

"Ermph," Fay grunted as he tried to grab some of the food with his chopsticks, but to no avail.

"You _still_ haven't learned how to use them?" Kurogane asked him exasperatedly.

"Well, you don't know how to use cutlery," Fay retorted angrily. "I remember you having the fork in your mouth and wiggling it around, in danger of poking someone's eye out!"

"No I didn't!"

"Oh, yes you did!"

They glared at each other furiously. Or, rather, Kurogane was glaring and Fay was trying not to burst out laughing while trying to mimic the furious expression on his face.

"Ufufufu!" Mokona snickered. "Fay and Kurogane get along so well!"

"Erm..." Sakura commented with a sweat-drop.

"Not really..." Syaoran chuckled weakly.

Tomoyo stifled her laughter. "Fay-san... look, this is the proper way to hold chopsticks," she said as she showed him.

"But then how do I grab the food?" he whined. "My fingers keep slipping."

"Here, let me show you." She got up and bent over his shoulder, sliding his fingers in the right positions. She held her hands over his as she guided him. "And then you go like this."

"Oh!" Fay gasped happily. "I see! Thanks a lot!"

"No problem," Tomoyo smiled at him as she sat back in her seat. "Why... are you all right, Kurogane?"

Kurogane was eyeing Fay evilly, very jealous that he had gotten so much attention from Tomoyo. "Yes," he said stiffly.

"Are you sure?" she asked him, concern ringing in her voice.

Kurogane took a deep breath. "I'm okay," he muttered, as he tried to calm down. _Remember... you have a job to do_, he told himself sternly. _You have to force these feelings away_.

Tomoyo frowned slightly, as if not really believing him. "Very well," she said. Then, in an attempt to change the subject, she turned to Sakura. "So... how is your mission getting along?"

"Well..." Sakura lifted her head in thought. "I still have several gaps, but I think we're getting close to finding all of my memories."

Tomoyo nodded.

"I would have never been able to make it without the others' help," Sakura said sincerely. Then, enlightened by a sudden brainwave, she added, "Kurogane-san was especially helpful. He's very courageous and strong, and he's always tried his very best to help us find the feathers."

"Why is that?" Tomoyo asked him, politely curious. "You never really liked helping people, as I recall."

"The circumstances demanded it," Kurogane grunted as he picked at his food. "The sooner we found the feathers, the sooner I'd return to—"

But he was not allowed to finish his phrase when Mokona suddenly jumped onto the table, startling them all. "Yuuko would like to have a word with you," it said in a serious voice.

The others looked at Tomoyo curiously, for Mokona was facing her.

Tomoyo cleared her throat nervously. "Then, by all means, I shall speak with her." She stood and smoothed the front of her robes nervously.

Mokona's red jewel started to glow, and a holographic image of Yuuko appeared, wearing a velvet black dress. She nodded to Tomoyo in respect. "Tomoyo-hime," she greeted her.

"Dimensional Witch," she nodded in return.

"The time has come for you to tell them what they truly face."

Tomoyo frowned in confusion. "But you said—"

"Forget about what I said before. He has cheated. The rules have changed."

"What did he do?" Tomoyo asked in alarm.

"He has sent one of his agents after the Fellowship. Someone they have met before. This was not meant to happen. This agent is interfering."

"Who is it?"

"I do not know yet. But he is extremely dangerous. You must show them the Prophecy."

"All of it?"

"Yes... and you must answer whatever questions they ask you."

"Even...?" She left it hanging.

Yuuko raised her eyebrows. "Yes. Sakura has a right to know."

Sakura looked from Yuuko to Tomoyo in alarm. What did she have a right to know?

"And...?" Tomoyo's eyes flitted nervously to Syaoran, but no one noticed as they were all focused upon the witch.

"Just what he needs to know."

Tomoyo sighed in resignation. "Very well."

Yuuko smiled slightly. "Do not fret. You will have an important role to play before the end."

"Huh? What do you—?" Tomoyo started to demand, but Yuuko's image flickered and vanished before she could finish.

Sakura, Syaoran, Fay, and Kurogane were staring open-mouthed at Tomoyo. Kurogane was especially shocked. "Since when have you been on speaking terms with that witch?" he asked her in a strangled voice.

Tomoyo did not respond as she sank back upon her cushion and clutched at the table hard, her knuckles turning white. She was breathing quickly as she still stared at the spot were Yuuko had been moments before, her mind running with a thousand thoughts.

"Are you okay?" Kurogane asked her anxiously.

Tomoyo shook her head. "Yes..." she muttered abstractedly. She got up and made her way to one of the bookcases. She started tossing books off of one of the shelves, throwing them to the floor.

Syaoran's face contorted with pain when he saw her treating the books so. Fay snickered at his expression.

Finally, they saw that there had been a hidden door behind the former row of books. Tomoyo gulped and concentrated hard, her fingers inches from the small handle. A pale purple mist seemed to flow from her fingertips and surround the small compartment. They heard a click as the door snapped open. Carefully, she withdrew a plain wooden box and dashed back to them, her steps eager.

"Since it has been assigned to me, I will not hold you in the dark," Tomoyo told them, her voice tingling with excitement. Almost with drawn breath, she eased the lock open with another whisper of magic.

Fay frowned. If her magic worked to break her magical locks, then she still had it in its usual quantities. Then why hadn't it worked properly when questioning the assassins?

Tomoyo lifted the lid carefully and drew out an ancient-looking roll of parchment; a scroll, to be precise.

Syaoran gasped. "Is that the Prophecy?" he asked her in awe.

"Yes," she smiled at him. "You appreciate ancient works." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Yeah, I do," Syaoran nodded vigorously. "May I see it?"

"Certainly... but you must be extremely careful. It's irreplaceable." She carefully handed him the scroll.

His fingers trembling with ill-suppressed excitement, Syaoran cautiously undid the black ribbon binding it and unrolled the brittle parchment to the beginning of the scroll. "It's written in some sort of ancient language... I sort of understand it, but not completely."

Fay peered at the passage from behind Syaoran's shoulder. "I can't read it at all," he said wistfully.

"So it's written using ideograms?" Kurogane asked.

"Yeah... but not like the kind you use..." Syaoran muttered as he continued to examine it.

"I'd be surprised if he _could_ understand it," Tomoyo said. "It's an ancient form of kanji over three thousand years old."

"Hyu... that's really old!" Fay whistled low.

"Whoa..." Syaoran said. "How amazing is that?" he asked the others, an expression of sheer ecstasy on his face. "Think about it. This scroll's survived three thousand years. Do you have any idea what this means?" Without waiting for an answer he plunged onward, "It means that we have a way to see the past with this!"

"Actually, not the past," Tomoyo corrected him as she gently pried the scroll from his hands. "The future."

"But how is that possible?"

Tomoyo's mouth formed a slow smile. "Do you know what a prophecy is?"

"I think so..."

"It is the power given to someone to tell the future. This was written three thousand years ago, telling of events occurring now."

"Our mission?" Fay started with a gasp.

"Exactly." Tomoyo seated herself upon her cushion. "Would you like to hear it?"

"Will it take long?" Sakura asked her.

"Probably..." she muttered. "Would you like to hear the important stuff?"

"We should hear about this enemy of ours," Kurogane said darkly. "We've gotta find out what his real intentions are."

"One moment..." Tomoyo muttered as she scanned the document. "Ah! Found it." She looked up at them apologetically. "It's written in a very formal type of kanji, so sometimes it's totally incomprehensible. If you don't understand me, stop me and I can explain." She cleared her throat.

_"Hearken now the words of the Prophet, for they shalt be as law unto the servants of Good. For lo! When the Dark One shalt gather unto his service all that is evil and malignant wilt it be a sign that he marshals his forces to obtain the Forbidden Power; the ability to perpetually travel through space and time."_

"That's pretty clear," Fay commented.

"It's the only clear passage in the whole Prophecy," Tomoyo said dryly. "It doesn't say much more about him. It actually goes on to describe the worlds you fall into. But the fact remains that he is the one behind this mission of yours. He scattered Sakura-hime's feathers to different dimensions, and all the worlds you'd fallen into were predetermined. He chose them, controlling where you landed, and actually offered you some memories on silver platters, if you get my meaning."

"But why?" Syaoran wondered. "I mean, if he's the one responsible for this mess, why is he helping us?"

"It says it somewhere around here..." she muttered as she scanned the ancient script. "Aha..." She cleared her throat.

_"A fact which wilt be revealed to the Fellowship later on shalt be the origins of the Dark One. Although his roots flow as complicated as the stars themselves, his blood and fate hast been predetermined, for they art intricately woven with the Beloved One's. When the time is nigh and the Perilous Quest at an end, shalt the Dark One come forth, and the Fellowship shalt behold pure Evil in its true form._

"And... there's a new passage!" she exclaimed with surprise.

_"Wouldst the Dark One attempt to create a rift in the cosmos, usurping the laws and rules of the Universe, the two prophecies shalt shift and change to fit accordingly, for no one hath the right to contest with the Creator. Anon, the tides of fate unravel the mystery before the Fellowship, and whilst they do not come face to face with the Dark One, the new piece shalt presently be added to the game, the Mage, to bring the numbers into balance with the interference of the One Without Destiny."_

Tomoyo's eyes were wide. "That can't be possible! This paragraph did not exist before!"

"But how can the Prophecy shift? Is it magical?" Syaoran asked.

"Not magical..." Fay mused, "...but a tool of the Universe."

"Huh?" said Kurogane.

"What I mean is, that, depending on the way the Universe changes, the Prophecy changes as well. Sometimes, people are faced with two decisions. By choosing either one, they alter the future."

"So this scroll changes depending on our actions?"

"Precisely. And if I understood correctly, this enemy of ours follows a similar prophecy, right?" Fay turned to Tomoyo.

"Yes..." Tomoyo confirmed. "Though he is very reluctant to do so. That is why the prophecies have changed. Because he attempted to ignore the rules he was given."

"So the prophecies are like sets of rules we have to follow?" Syaoran muttered.

"Yes," Tomoyo replied.

"Then how come we weren't given the Prophecy in the first place? What if we made a mistake without meaning to?"

Tomoyo smiled. "There was no need. The mere fact that you three were chosen to accompany the Beloved One is enough. Whatever you'd do would be correct without you knowing. It is something you were born to do."

Kurogane looked at Tomoyo expectantly. "So... besides all that... why has this guy been making it way too easy for us to find the feathers?"

"As the Prophecy states, his fate is entwined with the Beloved One's... that is Sakura-hime," Tomoyo told them seriously.

Sakura looked up in surprise. "What does that mean?"

Tomoyo sighed. "His true name is Fei Wang Reed. Does that ring any bells?"

"Reed? That's... my family's name!"

"Yes... Fei Wang Reed is one of your relatives." Tomoyo reached out and held her hand. "He is a descendant of Clow Reed."

"But... Clow Reed was my father! How can this Fei Wang be a descendant of Clow's when he's my father?!"

"I don't know... this is what I know from Yuuko-san, and she has not told me anything else concerning your blood ties. And the Prophecy itself states that it's complicated."

"But if he's my relative, why did he do this to me?! Why did he scatter my memories?"

"Sakura-hime, listen to me carefully," Tomoyo told her gently. "Fei Wang had always regarded Clow Reed as an obstacle. As long as Clow was alive to protect you, he could not act. But his death triggered the start of the Prophecy; the opportunity for Fei Wang to act. Fei Wang's only desire is to obtain that which is hidden in the ruins of your country; the power to travel through space and time alike, as many times as he desires. And... you are the key."

"I... still don't understand." She looked imploringly at the others, wondering what they were thinking. Syaoran's expression was shocked, Fay's was as curious as ever, and Kurogane's face was a mask. Only Mokona seemed oblivious to Tomoyo's words as it smiled reassuringly at Sakura.

"You hide immense quantities of magic within you," Tomoyo went on. "Your magic is growing. Even you have realized it, haven't you? Although you may not have known that it was magic at first, you do now, don't you? That was the whole point. If you had remained in your country, your powers would never have grown to what they are now." Tomoyo bowed her head. "That is why he scattered your memories. For you to grow in strength. And that is why he has been spying on you and helping you along the way."

Sakura's lower lip began to tremble. She appeared to be on the verge of tears, and Tomoyo regretted causing her such pain.

"This is all sudden, and I know that it will take a while for you to adjust, but know this," she continued. "You are the key to the ruins, which means that only you can unlock their secret. And you can only unlock them when you unlock the magic hidden inside of you. When the quest is over, you will come face-to-face with Fei Wang. You will have to remember this... he must not be given the power! It will depend greatly on the strength of your heart, for only you can prevent it from happening."

"And..." Sakura gulped. "The others? If I am the key... then what will happen to them?"

"I do not know," Tomoyo said heavily. "The Prophecy is not clear on this. It can go both ways... either in your favor or Fei Wang's favor. It is all up to your strengths... that is why you three were chosen to be the Beloved One's companions. Each of you has special abilities that will further the chances of success."

She turned to Syaoran. "The Prophecy refers to you as the Devoted One. You have never once wavered in this mission. You were always determined to retrieve Sakura-hime's feathers, no matter what the cost. You have a strong will, and I am sure it will help you in the end."

Syaoran nodded. "I'll do my best."

Tomoyo turned to Fay. "You are called the Lost One. You are on the run from a dangerous enemy of yours, and you will have to face your fears sooner or later. You are confused, hurt, and often lonely, but you must know that all will have to be revealed before the confrontation."

Fay paled at her words, but took on a resolved expression.

Tomoyo turned at last to Kurogane. "You never wanted to leave Nihon and you never wanted to set off on a long and perilous mission. You are a strong warrior and a fearless fighter. The Prophecy refers to you with two titles; the Reluctant One and the Dragon Lord. You were destined to become Syaoran-san's guide and mentor, for he is to play an important role in the end."

"What important role?" Syaoran demanded.

Tomoyo turned to him. "I am not allowed to fully reveal what lies in store for you. But you must concentrate hard on your dreams and your past. Through these you will learn about your task."

Syaoran frowned, his expression clearly showing that the answer was not to his satisfaction.

Tomoyo patted his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I know it's frustrating to not know, but you'll be able to accept it more readily if you find it out on your own."

Syaoran sighed heavily. "I understand."

Tomoyo shot him one last reassuring smile, and turned to Kurogane, wringing her hands. "I don't know how to say this..." she said slowly. "But I am very proud of you."

Kurogane frowned. "Why's that?"

Tomoyo pulled back a stray strand of hair from in front of her eyes. "Lesser men would have given up long before they reached their destination. But not you... you were determined to return. And to do that, you helped your companions. Grudgingly at first, yet now you don't even think twice before lending them your aid. That is what the Fellowship means. A joining of friends, united together against the common enemy..."

Tomoyo cleared her throat pointedly, signaling that their conversation had reached its end. "It seems to me that I'll have to leave the Prophecy in your capable hands, Syaoran-san," she said as she carefully put the scroll away. "No doubt you'll wish to study it more, won't you?"

"Er... yes... thank you," Syaoran replied as he protectively held the box in his hands.

"Now... I have to see to many preparations, for tomorrow _is_ my wedding day," she grinned. "Would any of you like to join me?"

Syaoran coughed tentatively. "Um... I'd like to study the Prophecy..."

"Certainly," Tomoyo told him graciously. "I have no objections."

"Yay! There's gonna be a wedding and there's gonna be wedding cake!" Mokona shrieked with glee as it leapt onto Tomoyo's shoulder. "There's gonna be cake, right? Or haven't you invented it yet?"

Tomoyo laughed gaily as she rubbed Mokona's ears fondly and led the way out.

Fay stood up and stretched with a groan of content. "That food was good," he complimented her as he followed her, Kurogane and Sakura trailing along behind. Syaoran went in the opposite direction, toward their rooms, immersed in the Prophecy.

"My cooks are reputed to be the most talented in their field," Tomoyo told him as she led the way through the corridors toward the throne room. "They're also going to supervise the preparations for the wedding banquet."

"Just out of curiosity," Fay pressed on, "if the wedding's going to take place here, won't the Sembians be sort of put out?" He shrugged exaggeratedly. "I mean, two countries... how are you going to rule?"

"Prince Dai is the second of three sons of the current King of Semba," Tomoyo explained as she entered the throne room. A large commotion was taking place as people scurried to and fro, checking this and that and setting up more decorations. "The first son will inherit the crown, which means that with this marriage, Prince Dai will rule at my side. Our countries cannot possibly merge, for our cultures and civilizations are too different."

"I see... and are there going to be any guests from Semba?"

"Certainly. All the nobles and, of course, the royal family, shall attend. The same goes for my guests, as well."

"All of these decorations are so beautiful!" Sakura exclaimed happily.

"Everything is going to be perfect," Tomoyo agreed. "We will also have plenty of sunlight to illuminate the throne room," she added as she pointed upward.

A full five stories above, the high-vaulted ceiling of the chamber was punctuated by large glass windows, which let the sunlight filter through. Kurogane frowned. His instincts told him that something was terribly wrong with the windows. Then he understood. Each window was recessed into a sort of small space, between the ceiling and the edge of the windows, no less than four or five feet deep; enough room to hide a quiet assassin. But how would one get up there? He continued to frown, thinking. There was no possible way for anyone to attempt to reach them from inside, and it would be impossible now that the room was constantly packed with people. No... the only possibly way would be for someone to scale the walls from outside.

As Sakura and Tomoyo continued to chat animatedly, Kurogane laid his hand upon Fay's shoulder and whispered, "If Tomoyo-hime asks where I've gone, just tell her I've gone to find Souma."

"Is that what you're actually going to do?" Fay muttered back, the corners of his mouth forming a small smile.

"No. I've got a bad feeling about those windows. I'm going to check them out." He turned and wove between the servants preparing the ornaments, careful not to tread on any feet to alert Tomoyo of his departure.

"Good luck," Fay murmured in a low voice after Kurogane's retreating back.

———————————————

It was the middle of the afternoon, and Kurogane had wasted his whole morning and noon trying to get rid of Kazuo. Just as soon as Kurogane had made it out of the castle and was about to head toward the grounds before the throne room, Kazuo popped up suddenly and had tailed along behind him, asking him all sorts of questions; from how to properly block and opponent's blow to what he preferred to do in his spare time.

Feeling extremely frustrated, Kurogane had, with an inhuman patience which had later amazed him, answered his petty questions, wishing with each passing minute that Kazuo's next one would be the last. But Kazuo pressed on, each inquiry becoming more frivolous than the last, until his last question, "What interests you most in women?" was the last straw for Kurogane.

"Look," he said hoarsely, his throat aching from all of his responses, "don't you have anything better to do?"

Kazuo looked at him innocently (by now Kurogane was wondering whether it really was innocence, as Kazuo had somehow made it a goal of his to stalk him) and said, "I have the day off and I wanted to get the chance to know you better."

"Well... think about it. You can't learn everything about one person in one day, can you?" Kurogane tried to reason with him. Indeed, he was beginning to wonder why he was exercising such patience with Kazuo, when normally he would have gotten rid of someone like him a long while ago.

"I suppose you're right about that..." Kazuo muttered thoughtfully.

"And anyway, I'm hungry," Kurogane said irritably. "So can we continue this conversation some other time?"

"Okay..." Kazuo started to say, but he called after Kurogane again, who had began to inch away. "Wait! Just answer one more question!"

Kurogane froze in his tracks and gritted his teeth. "Fine. Just one more."

"So what _does_ interest you in women?"

Kurogane turned to eye Kazuo evenly. "I don't really know. I haven't given it much thought."

"No way! A guy like you could have any woman he wanted," Kazuo grinned.

Kurogane regarded him with a pained look. "Okay, you got your answer. Can I go eat now?"

"Sure! See you later!" Kazuo chirped as he dashed off.

As soon as Kazuo was out of sight and earshot, Kurogane threw his hands into the air. "Why me?" he complained bitterly to the sky. "Why does everything seem to happen to me?"

———————————————

"Hey there! I was beginning to wonder where you'd run off to!" Fay teased Kurogane as he opened the door wider for him to pass into the sitting room. "Did you find anything?"

"Nothing," Kurogane grumbled irritably as he eased himself onto one of the cushions with a groan. "I never got down to looking around." He drank deeply from a cup and began to eat ravenously.

"Then what have you been doing all this time?" Fay asked him curiously, failing to suppress a large grin.

"Entertaining that annoying ninja," he grunted, in-between bites of food. "Where're the others?"

"Syaoran-kun's studying the Prophecy and Sakura-chan fell asleep again. They're both in their rooms, and Mokona's keeping an eye on Sakura-chan." Fay sat down on a cushion across from Kurogane and asked, "When you said 'annoying ninja' were you referring to that Kazuo-san?"

"Yeah... he tailed me around like a puppy, asking me stupid questions."

"Really?" Fay asked him as he leaned his head upon his arms. "Like what?"

Kurogane swallowed some food and drank some saké before answering, "Mostly bullshit. How to effectively immobilize an opponent, how to properly clean a dagger, how I like my tea, what interests me in women..." He shrugged. "Bullshit."

Fay snorted and looked up at Kurogane sheepishly. He tried very hard to stifle his giggles, but he could not help the fact that it sounded so... ridiculous!

Kurogane paused from eating to glare at him reproachfully. "What's so funny?" he snarled.

Fay drew a deep breath. "Well," he began, the corners of his mouth tugging slightly, "did he really ask that?"

"Ask what?" Kurogane snapped.

"What... interests you in women," he snickered.

Kurogane narrowed his eyes dangerously. He now realized it was a mistake he even mentioned it, but the damage was already done. "Yes, he did," Kurogane said in a flat voice.

"And?" Fay looked at him expectantly. "What did you answer?"

Kurogane continued to glare at him with dislike etched all over his face.

Fay took a deep breath and forced his face to remain expressionless. "I promise I won't laugh."

Kurogane crossed his arms and arched his eyebrows disbelievingly, regarding him with chagrin.

"Honestly."

Kurogane sighed. Fay wouldn't leave him in peace until he told him. "I said that I didn't really know because I hadn't given it much thought," he finally mumbled tonelessly.

"You—what—?" Fay said incredulously. "Wait a minute." He held up his hand. "Are you telling me that Tomoyo-hime's the only woman who has ever interested you? Is that what you're trying to say?"

Kurogane squirmed uncomfortably.

Fay stared at him open-mouthed. "So you've never been in a relationship with anyone?"

"I was busy! Being a ninja's not all that's cracked up to be!" Kurogane retorted hotly.

"How old are you?"

Kurogane missed the implications and raised his head in thought as he pulled on his collar. "Um... I'd say about twenty-nine." His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Fay's head hit the table as he fell forward. "And have you ever...?" asked his muffled voice.

"Have I ever what?" Kurogane demanded angrily as he stood to his feet. He was getting very pissed off with Fay's behavior. So what if he'd never had eyes for anyone except Tomoyo? Was it such a big deal?

Apparently, it was to Fay. "You know..." He left it hanging.

Kurogane frowned in confusion. After a few moments his eyes widened as it slowly dawned on him.

Fay raised his head and eyed him smugly. "So?"

Kurogane's face went beet-red and he did not trust himself to answer. He made a mad dash for the door, yanked it open, and sprinted down the corridor, as if the hounds of death were hot on his heels.

———————————————

Kurogane stood before one of the castle walls, where he knew the throne room was located on the inside. He had luckily not run into anyone on his way, and he was now wondering whether he should attempt to scale it.

The castle's walls were worn with age. Little niches that would be perfect for climbing were scattered all over the walls at irregular intervals. Ideal for an assassin. Kurogane threw caution to the wind and started climbing.

It was slow going, for he didn't want to risk slipping and plummeting down five stories and break his neck. Just when he reached the shingled roof however, his foot missed a crack and he slipped. He would have surely fallen hadn't his fast reflexes kicked in and he grabbed onto the shingled roof's edge. He sighed with relief and hoped that the shingles would hold his weight as he gingerly hauled himself up.

He was now upon the roof and he eased his weight upon the shingles carefully, so as not to disturb any. Crouching low, he made his way steadily to the center of the roof, where the glass windows were situated.

The sun glaring against the glass momentarily blinded him, even though it was late afternoon, and he had to squint until his eyes adjusted to it. Then he looked down into the throne room.

No one seemed to notice him, so he scanned the hiding spaces. He found no one there. He made his way to the other side and searched again, but he saw no difference, even by surveying them from a different angle.

He then tested to see if any of the glass panels had been tampered with. None of them gave way to the pressure he was exerting, and he feared that if he applied more pressure he would break them.

It was plainly obvious that no assassin was hiding in any of the small spaces. Kurogane even tried using his senses, but again, nothing. Not even the glass panes had been meddled with to ensure an assassin's future installment.

But Kurogane had been so sure. His instincts had never led him wrong before.

Sighing, he made his way to the edge of the rooftop, where he allowed himself to dangle. Now what? The roof protruded about two feet from the top of the wall. There was no way for him to reach it. Unless...

He braced himself and let go, allowing himself to fall into the wall. He started to slip downward, but his hands grabbed hold onto two niches and he strained his muscles to maintain his firm hold. His feet started searching for cracks, and his grip relaxed slightly as soon as he found them. He then proceeded to cautiously climb down.

Maybe he was being paranoid. Imagining things that were not there. After all, finding out that Tomoyo was to be married _had_ rendered him senseless for a few moments. His mind must have been playing tricks on him. But he still couldn't accept that Semba's motives were honorable.

———————————————

"Nothing?" Syaoran asked him in surprise.

"Nothing whatsoever," Kurogane confirmed.

The group was in the sitting room once more, and they had just eaten dinner. To Kurogane's relief, Fay made no comment about their previous _discussion_, or any hint that they had ever discussed anything. They were now all comparing their findings amongst themselves.

Sakura told them that she had sensed many of the Sembians, and those she had were excited at the prospect of this union, for it was something highly unusual. However, Fay had subtly interrogated as many people as he could and had discovered that there were members of both parties who did not agree with the marriage. And now, Kurogane had just told them that he had found a way to climb up to examine the glass windows, but had found no hints that an assassin ever was, or ever would be, hiding there.

"But the funny thing is, is that my instincts have never been wrong before," Kurogane muttered. "Why should now be an exception?"

No one could answer his question.

"Damn it!" he exclaimed as he brought his fist down upon a small table, breaking it. "What's Semba playing at?!" He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "If only we had more time!" he fumed. He inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. "When does the wedding start?"

"Tomorrow morning, two hours before noon," Sakura promptly answered him.

"That's pretty early," mused Fay.

Kurogane started pacing around the room again, bristling like a thunderstorm. "I don't understand... what could they be planning?"

"Maybe..." Syaoran started to say, hesitating slightly. He then began again, stronger, "Maybe Semba isn't planning anything. Maybe because you weren't here to witness this gradual change as Nihon and Semba declared peace, you're struggling to find a problem when there isn't one."

Kurogane froze. "But my instincts..." he weakly complained.

"Were wrong. As you said, you found nothing."

Kurogane shook his head slightly. "But it can't be..."

"I think Syaoran-kun's right," Fay said seriously. "We haven't found anything suspicious. True, there are some who are against this marriage, but they wouldn't go as far as to commit treason."

"Then..." Kurogane shuddered, holding his forehead with one hand. "There's nothing wrong... and Semba truly has become peaceful." His eyes seemed to darken as the inevitable had been voiced.

Semba wasn't planning anything. Tomoyo was going to get married. And Kurogane had been wrong to believe there would be any hope for him...

He lowered his head. "Yeah... you guys're right," he said quietly. "I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't accept it."

Sakura bit on her lower lip in worry. She knew that Kurogane was referring to Tomoyo.

He raised his head and they were all astonished to see his eyes brimming with unshed tears. He covered his face with a trembling hand. "I've lost her," he croaked softly.

He turned on his heel and withdrew to his room, closing the door behind him. With a heavy sigh, he leaned against the inside of his door, drawing ragged breaths. He had been stupid to ever think there would be a chance to win her over. So stupid... He now understood that _that_ had been his real intention. Not to stop Semba, but to stop Tomoyo...

He sagged to the floor in a heap, cradling his head as he cried. Hot tears trickled down his face, which was contorted with immeasurable pain. He hurt badly, his sorrow tearing his heart into tiny pieces.

He would never find true happiness. _Ever_.

———————————————

Through the door, they could hear his muffled sobs of overwhelming grief.

"I feel so sorry for him," Sakura whispered.

Syaoran looked ashen-faced. "If it hadn't been for my words..."

"In that, I'm to blame, too," Fay sighed. "But his feelings would've come out sooner or later."

Mokona's ears drooped with sadness. Fay patted it, attempting a weak smile. "He had once told me," Fay began quietly, "when we were still in the Republic of Hanshin, that if you cry whenever you have a problem, you can never become stronger." He paused. "We've changed him a great deal."

Sakura, Syaoran and Mokona simply nodded.

———————————————

The day of the wedding dawned bright and sunny. Kurogane woke sandy-eyed and disorientated. He groggily eased himself from his bed and splashed cold water on his face from a basin at a small table. Despite the chill which penetrated his awareness, he still felt as if his head was full of stuffing.

He yawned widely as he entered the sitting room, finding Sakura, Syaoran, and Fay wearing formal ceremonial garb. He frowned. "What...?"

"The wedding is going to start in less than half an hour," Fay told him carefully. "You seemed so tired that we didn't want to wake you until the last possible moment." He pointed to a set of black robes trimmed in silver. "These are for you."

Kurogane's face darkened as he slowly recalled the past events. And last night... he had cast down all defenses and wept like a broken-hearted child. He clenched his fists. He mustn't do anything foolish today. He would grin and bear it. He had no desire to upset Tomoyo. Even if she was marrying another... for it would only be selfish of him to do anything to hurt her feelings.

He forced a cheery-looking smile, which looked more like a grimace, and said, "Well, I'd better get ready, right? Wouldn't want us to be late." He took the robes and went back to his room to change.

He started to hurriedly dress as he repeated the same words over and over again in his head. _You must not do anything to ruin this day for Tomoyo_, _you must not do anything to ruin this day for Tomoyo_, _you must not do anything to ruin this day for Tomoyo_...

He emerged a few moments later, fully dressed. Controlling his face so as not to show any emotions, he said, "Let's go."

Once they reached the throne room, they found it packed with people discussing among themselves. It was obvious that the ceremony hadn't begun yet, for Tomoyo was nowhere to be seen. Before they could actually consider finding a place between the guests, a happy voice greeted them.

It was Souma, who was dressed in dazzling ceremonial armor (which, in a real fight, wouldn't have protected her much, Kurogane noted) and a long black cape. "Tomoyo-hime wants you five to sit up front, as you are her honored guests," she said in a rush as she gently pushed them toward a dais which had been erected before the throne. "Just stand here," she indicated, about six feet away from it, "and we'll start in a few minutes." She hurried off with a small wave.

Not having anything better to do, Kurogane started surveying the crowd. An air of excitement lingered over them as they chattered away. His eyes also fell toward the dais, where he saw two people conversing in low voices.

One of them wore an elaborate crown upon his head, and Kurogane guessed that he must be the King of Semba. He whispered something to the other man, patted his shoulder, and hurried off. The other man wore regal deep-blue robes and had a small circlet of gold around his head. He seemed nervous, as his eyes darted from face to face.

_He must be the prince_, Kurogane thought.

For one brief moment, the prince's gaze locked with Kurogane's, but he quickly lowered his eyes and continued to shift his weight anxiously.

Kurogane's eyes widened in surprise. It couldn't be... but there was no mistake. The icy-blue eyes, the dark shoulder-length hair...

Dai was the Sembian who had run away eleven years ago when Kurogane had found the Queen murdered.

Without a second thought, and without considering the consequences, Kurogane groped at his waist for the hilt of his sword, ready to kill him. He had vowed to spare no one who had tried to hurt the Princess, and he intended to keep that promise. Anger welled inside of him at the sight of the man, and he couldn't think clearly. But to his surprise, he found no sword.

"Damn," he swore under his breath. He had become careless. Too careless! To have forgotten his sword...

_Never mind_, he thought vehemently,_ I don't need my sword. I'll kill him with my bare hands..._ He balled his hands into fists, and, wearing a deadly expression, took one step toward Dai. But he was not allowed to go any further, for Fay and Syaoran had each grabbed an arm, restraining him.

"Kurogane-san," Syaoran said warningly, "what's gotten into you? The ceremony's going to start any minute now!"

"That... that..." Kurogane spluttered. He struggled to free himself, but they would not let go. With a furious jerk that still kept him immobilized he choked out almost inaudibly, "That... frigging bastard! He was the one who escaped eleven years ago! One of the stinking dirtbags who were gonna...!"

Syaoran stiffened and his hand relaxed slightly when he heard this, which was enough for Kurogane to find the opportunity to pull his arm from him, but Fay still held his other arm in a vice-like grip.

"You don't want to make a scene, do you?" Fay asked him in a low voice.

"But—!" Kurogane bitterly complained.

"Think!" Fay told him as he shook him slightly. "Would Tomoyo-hime ever forgive you if you ruined her wedding?"

Kurogane froze. No, she wouldn't. And then he remembered what he had been telling himself over and over again.

"But..." he said weakly as his shoulders sagged. "I can't..." He drew a deep breath. "That bastard..."

Just then, the babble of voices died away as the guests hurried to take their places. Fay let go of Kurogane and patted his shoulder, but kept his eyes upon him lest he decide to do anything foolish. Mokona hopped onto Fay's head to get a better look.

Dai raised his head expectantly and strode toward the large doors of the throne room, wearing a resolved expression on his face. The great doors opened.

Tomoyo entered, a vision of pristine white perfection, smiling. Dai held out his arm to her and she took it, their arms linking. They walked toward the dais, and the ceremony began.

Sakura closed her eyes, using her senses. Tomoyo felt happy, yet there was a part of her which grieved. Sakura understood. It was the part which clung to Kurogane. Sakura sighed. She understood the duty of a princess, as she was one herself. No matter what, she had a duty to her country. But if she were in her place, she would have called the wedding off. Sakura then tried to sense Dai. But she sensed nothing whatsoever. No emotion, no feeling... nothing. Why was that?

Kurogane could not stand to look at Tomoyo; the sense of loss was still fresh, and the feelings which overwhelmed him last night were threatening to do so again. He tried looking around to distract himself. By chance, his gaze rose to the ceiling, where the large glass windows were situated. His eyes widened in horror.

A dark figure was crouched in one of the small spaces, a bow and arrow in hand. He placed the arrow in the notch and took aim—aiming it directly at Tomoyo's back. The assassin pulled.

It seemed as if time almost stopped. Kurogane dashed with an inhuman speed to Tomoyo, shouting out, _"Noooo!"_

He pushed her out of the way and turned slightly, to see if the assassin had fired. The arrow hit him squarely in the chest, the force of its speed causing him to topple backward as he cried out in pain.

"Kurogane!" Tomoyo shrieked as she rushed to his side. She put her arms under his armpits as she tried to pull him up to his feet.

Kurogane ignored the stinging sensation in his chest and grasped Tomoyo's upper arms to try to support himself. He chanced a look back at the ceiling as he struggled to rise.

The assassin was quickly readying another arrow, aiming it once more at Tomoyo, and this time she was totally unprotected, her back to the assassin. The assassin let the arrow fly.

Kurogane quickly spun Tomoyo around, using his body to shield her, while concentrating on keeping himself steady, ignoring the fact that he could hardly breathe.

"Argh!" he cried out as his head arched backward and his grip tightened on Tomoyo's arms. Beads of perspiration stood out on his strained face, and he staggered, falling to his knees.

The second arrow got him in the back.

He stared up at Tomoyo's white face. Her violet eyes were wide in shock. She was swimming in and out of his focus as his head spun. He started trembling violently, but all the same turned his head to see what the assassin would do next.

The assassin seemed determined to do his job for he was readying a third arrow, but half-way through his body went rigid and he started to fall, an arrow sticking out of his shoulder.

Kurogane saw white faces staring at him open-mouthed, but his vision was blurred; he could also hear screams, but they oddly seemed far away. He stiffened and felt his grip slacken. He could no longer support himself as he started to slip.

His whole body seemed on fire as he fell, and he thought he heard someone sobbing while crying out his name, but the sound was distant in his ears. His fall seemed without end, and his vision was dotted with black spots. One of the arrows suddenly caused a massive ripple of pain which coursed through his body, searing him.

His eyes gave into the darkness, a welcoming sensation of oblivion and forget, and he knew no more.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** Wondering whether Sakura has magical powers is like wondering whether the world is round. There's no chance of it ever being otherwise. CLAMP never really gave us much information about the whole thing, though, so it's purely my imagination at work here. There never was a Prophecy and there probably never will be in the sense of it ever being presented to the gang as a set of rules to examine. (I bet Yuuko's got _some_ sort of rulebook, though. She's too well-informed for her own good!)

One last thing I have to mention is the whole assassination attempt. Something similar happened in one of my favorite books, although no one had actually gotten hurt (except for the bride who was hit with a poisoned arrow, but that's besides the point), which was one of the reasons I wasn't really intending for this chapter to turn out like this. But... sometimes, having your friends egg you on is a bad, bad thing... for the characters and readers I end up torturing, I mean. XD

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	6. The Death Of A Ninja

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 6 — The Death Of A Ninja**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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It couldn't be possible. It couldn't be.

Souma sat with her head in her hands against the wall, her shoulders shaking.

She couldn't believe that it had happened. It was all her fault; she should have stationed more ninja. How could she have let something like that happen?

There had been two assassination attempts that month on Princess Tomoyo. It was so irresponsible of her not to realize that there would definitely be another on the Princess's wedding day. She had been too caught up with the preparations to even consider the possibilities. So irresponsible...

She was not worthy of holding the title of Lead Ninja.

Souma flinched. What would have happened if Princess Tomoyo _had_ been hit? There was no one else to rule... not since _she_ had disappeared... Souma would have been to blame for her death.

But what was to happen to Kurogane?

A shuddering gasp escaped from Souma's lips. Her dear cousin...

After the first arrow had been shot, she had ordered all the doors to be sealed. None in the throne room had had any time to escape. Then she and Syaoran had caught the assassin with her cape when Fay had shot him. She had ordered the other ninja to swarm over the assassin and to restrain him. And to their shock... it had been Kazuo! A ninja had tried to assassinate Princess Tomoyo! A ninja sworn to protect the Princess had tried to kill the Princess!

Souma had been rendered senseless for a few moments, but was brutally brought back to reality upon hearing Princess Tomoyo's shriek. Fearing the worst, she had rushed to the dais and had frozen before the sight that met her eyes...

Princess Tomoyo's robes were covered in Kurogane's blood as she clung to him, sobbing uncontrollably. Kurogane himself...

His face was as white as chalk and his breaths shallow. The first arrow had gotten him in the left area of the chest, and the blood was flowing freely from his wound like a river. The second arrow had lodged into his back, right below the right shoulder blade. A pool of sticky blood had seeped underneath him, and blood was trickling from out of a corner of his mouth.

Souma had realized at once that the wounds were fatal. She had tried to pry the Princess away from Kurogane, but she would not relent. She had demanded that healers remove the arrows immediately to save him. Ninja had come to take Kurogane to the healers, but their expressions showed what Souma herself had realized; that there would be no hope for him.

Souma regarded the closed doors across from where she sat and sighed heavily. Two healers, the Princess, and Kurogane had been in there for over two hours, and there was still no sign. No hint. _Nothing_.

Would he make it? It was highly unlikely.

"Lead Ninja?" said a small voice close-by.

Souma started and stood to her feet. It was a ninja-trainee. "Yes?"

"The... assassin... has decided to speak."

Souma took on a resolved expression. She would extract all the information she could from him. And then... Kazuo would not be able to escape her wrath. She would avenge her cousin. "Let's go."

———————————————

Syaoran frowned as he peered at the miniscule writing. A line appeared smudged, and he could not make out what was written underneath. And then the sentence continued talking about something totally irrelevant.

Syaoran leaned back and sighed as he rubbed furiously at his tired eyes. The Prophecy was no help whatsoever. He had found the part which talked about Nihon, and about Kurogane and some sort of a choice. Then the script read, _"Henceforth wilt the Fellowship be stripped by the parting of the Reluctant One, or shalt it be the Reluctant One's desire to journey onward along with his companions? For—"_ and then the context was smeared and continued with, _"—and they wilt be faced with a world giving unto Darkness, and the path..."_ Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera... it went on and on, describing the next world.

Syaoran slammed his palm on the table before him in frustration. How could he find out if Kurogane would survive if the Prophecy wasn't letting out any information? "Damn," he mumbled. There was no word yet as to how Kurogane fared. And it had been two hours already...

But he couldn't... there was no way he could possibly...

"Stop it," Syaoran muttered angrily to himself. "Kurogane-san is strong. He'll make it." He stood up and went to the window. He leaned upon the sill and let the air brush his face to cool him down.

The Prophecy was very vague. The way it stated the choice, it seemed as if it all hung on Kurogane surviving. There were specific words that continued to haunt Syaoran. _"...wilt the Fellowship be stripped by the parting of the Reluctant One..."_

Stripped? Could it mean that Kurogane would leave them? Not in body... but in spirit? And parting? His soul to part with his body?

Syaoran felt sick to his stomach. No matter what he told himself he continued to think dark thoughts.

Mokona regarded Syaoran seriously. It had not uttered a single word since the wedding, except an offer to translate the Prophecy for him if he met with difficulties, and the silence disturbed Syaoran somewhat. It was not at all like Mokona not to act hyper. It seemed that what had happened had shocked Mokona beyond words. It had shocked Syaoran himself, but in a different way.

Syaoran went to the door and opened it, peering out into the corridor. Silent and empty. No sign of either Fay or Sakura. What could be taking them so long?

He made to close the door, but he heard approaching footsteps. He looked out and saw Souma and a young ninja with the white band around his waist revealing him as a trainee. "Souma-san!" he called as he ran up to her, Mokona trailing behind.

Souma looked up.

Syaoran opened his mouth to ask her if there were any news regarding Kurogane, but found that he could only utter, "Is...?"

Souma lowered her face as it twisted slightly with pain. "Nothing yet," she said in a quiet voice. She then looked up abruptly, and a fire seemed to burn in her eyes. "I go now to question the assassin."

Syaoran caught his breath. "May I come with you?" he asked her in a serious voice, as Mokona clambered up to rest upon his shoulder.

Souma opened her mouth to object, but thought better of it. She nodded. "Come."

———————————————

Sakura and Fay were in the empty throne room. They had interrogated each and every person, to find out if anyone else had also taken part in the assassination attempt other than Kazuo, sensing them before deciding if they were innocent or not. Fay had the knowledge to do it, but had insisted on Sakura doing the actual sensing, for it was 'noisier' than intuition. He would not break his personal promise on not using his powers... even in such a situation.

So, with Fay's guidance, Sakura had undertaken an arduous task; sensing and separating truth from lie. At first, it had been slow going. Fay would ask each person a question and Sakura would try to sense if the answer was the truth or not. She had been shaky, and it had taken her several moments to decipher each answer. But after a while she had gotten better at it and the process had continued swifter.

Then she had come to sense Prince Dai. Although slightly fidgety, he had answered Fay's question without hesitation. Sakura would nod or shake her head each time someone told the truth or lied, but she had felt nothing with Prince Dai. Nothing whatsoever. "One moment," she had said, whispering to Fay that she could not sense him.

Fay had frowned and had told her to try again; she did, but she had still been unable to sense a thing. Fay had then narrowed his eyes. "It's time for some drastic measures," he had muttered.

He had taken hold of the front of Prince Dai's robes and had put his face very close to his, telling him something in a low voice that Sakura had not heard. But it had to have been something dreadful, for Prince Dai's face had visibly paled. But then he had flushed and snarled, "You dare threaten me?"

Fay had looked down at him as a superior would look down upon a servant. "I do," had been Fay's words as he ripped open Dai's shirt, where against his skin had rested a black medallion.

"What is that?" Sakura had asked Fay.

"It's a magical pendant which prevents people with magical abilities from sensing his feelings," Fay had said in a low voice. "This is how Princess Tomoyo was tricked."

Dai had had no chance to say or do anything in his defense as two ninja had swooped down on him and had restrained his futile efforts of escape. Fay had told them to take Dai to where they kept Kazuo, for questioning. They had obeyed him, for Souma had ordered them to do whatever Fay and Sakura told them to.

Then the King of Semba and his two sons had pushed forward with members of their guard, and had demanded that they release Dai. Fay had explained that they had found Dai guilty and that he would have to be questioned, and then asked them each a question. They had been flustered at first, but answered. Sakura had confirmed that they had no idea of the assassination, so they were allowed to pass. They had assured the King that after they had questioned Dai they would allow him to return home to Semba, with terms that Princess Tomoyo would decide. At first, the King had been outraged that they would actually suggest that there should also be terms, but Fay had contradicted him and had said that they were actually doing him a favor by agreeing not to kill Dai. This had silenced the King, and he had stormed out of the throne room, accompanied by his sons and guard. "I will be waiting at the Embassy," had been the King's last words.

Of all who had been questioned, only Dai had been found guilty, so they had released the others. And now, Sakura and Fay were examining the throne room for any signs of how Kazuo could have broken in and if he had laid any other traps without their knowledge.

Sakura turned toward the dais and stooped underneath it to see if anything was hidden there. She found nothing and stood up. Unwillingly, her eyes fell upon the pool of blood that had not been cleaned yet, and she could not suppress a choked sob as she sank to her knees.

Fay's head turned in alarm. "Sakura-chan?" He rushed to her side and knelt down beside her. "Are you all right?"

Sakura shook her head as tears threatened to come spilling from her eyes. "No..." she choked. "It's just..." She broke down in tears and grasped Fay's arm. "I can't believe it!" She continued to cry, tears streaming down her face. "He can't be..."

Fay did not really know what to do to comfort her. He was not good with comforting people much, other than with words. But Sakura's trembling form demanded that she needed physical comfort as well as mental. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around her shoulders and let her cry upon him. "Calm down, Sakura-chan," he said. "There's no point in crying about it. What will happen will happen."

"But what if... what if... he d-d-dies?!" she stammered. "H-he never did anything w-wrong! All he did was p-protect Tomoyo-hime!"

Fay did not know what to say to this. He knew from personal experience that Fate did not reward those who did good deeds and punish those who performed evil. It all depended on the actions of each individual. Fate had nothing to do with it. Evil people committed vile crimes, and they could be stopped only by people pure of heart and soul, but only if they were more powerful or more cunning than them. "I know..." he finally told Sakura softly. "I know..."

He let her cry for a while, and when she had finally quieted down, he said, "Get up now, come on. There's no point in dwelling on the past. We have a job to do, remember?" He tried to smile as he stood up and pulled her to her feet. "Just keep on looking ahead of you," he advised her, recalling that Kurogane had given Syaoran the exact same advice when they were leaving Hanshin. "Okay?"

Sakura nodded as she dried her eyes. "Yeah... thanks, Fay-san." She went on to examine the massive marble pillars, checking for any niches that Kazuo could have used to climb up to the windows.

Fay frowned. No matter how much he wanted to tell Sakura that Kurogane was going to be all right and not to worry, he couldn't bring himself to lie. Because he knew, deep down, that Kurogane's wounds were serious. And with all of that blood on the floor... there was no way he would survive...

———————————————

Souma stared stonily down at Kazuo. "I gave you a chance to tell me," she said in a low growl—quite unlike her usual quiet voice. "But you refused."

Kazuo stared at her defiantly. "I told you all that I desired to."

"You will tell me," she snarled as she stooped to look at him eye-to-eye.

"No," he said as he turned his head to avoid her penetrating gaze.

Souma reached down and grasped Kazuo's chin tightly, forcing him to look at her. "Why did you do it? You say that Dai-ouji paid you to... but I fail to see how a ninja could stoop so low."

Kazuo did not answer.

"Tell me, Kazuo-san," she almost purred. "Tell me how a ninja honor-bound to his Princess could agree to a plot to kill her?"

Kazuo breathed in deeply, but said nothing.

Souma straightened. "Recite the Three Pledges."

Kazuo started. "What?"

"You swore fealty to Princess Tomoyo last spring. There was an oath you had to repeat called the Three Pledges of the Ninja. Say it."

Kazuo looked pleadingly at her. "No..." he moaned.

"I, Souma, as Lead Ninja of Princess Tomoyo's Personal Guard, command you to recite the Three Pledges!" she thundered.

Kazuo shuddered. Almost as if an exterior force were compelling him, he said in a strangled voice, _"I, Kazuo, son of Nabuo, swear to protect the Princess Tomoyo, Ruler of Nihon, and High Priestess of the Shinto Order, by my sword, by my life, and by my honor. Let there be witness that if I break my oath, I am to be rejected from the Personal Guard, despised by all, and utterly dishonored. And let there be witness that if I break my oath, I shall be as a defiled insect upon my family, my society, and my liege. So I pledge, swear, and vow to do, until my liege sees fit to release me."_ He slumped forward, the chains upon his wrists tying him to the stone wall supporting his weight.

Syaoran arched his eyebrows. "Is he...?"

"No," Souma said quietly. "He is not dead. But now he shall feel the full weight of his crime."

"How?"

"The Three Pledges create a magic bond between each ninja and the Princess. If a ninja breaks the oath of fealty, he is tried. And if he is found guilty, he has no choice but to speak the truth. For that is how the magic works."

Kazuo shuddered and emitted a low moan.

Souma squared her shoulders. "I thought as much." She bent over Kazuo and grasped a fistful of his hair. "Speak," she commanded him.

Kazuo trembled. He gazed up at Souma, a haunted look in his eyes. "There was no need for Dai to pay me," he croaked. "I would have done it willingly." His lips broke in a malicious smile. "Tomoyo is weak," he spat. "Dai tricked her without her even realizing it. She is not as powerful a mage as you simpletons believe."

One of the ninja laid her hand upon the hilt of her sword threateningly. Souma looked sternly at her and her hand dropped. Souma turned to Kazuo again. "And what does this have to do with the attempt on her life?"

Kazuo cackled. "Why, what better way to prove that her powers had failed her and Nihon than to kill her? She is incompetent, for she did not see Dai's true plans—"

At that moment, the door opened and two ninja came in, dragging Prince Dai, who was struggling as if his life depended on it. Souma beckoned to the ninja to chain him upon the wall as they had done to Kazuo.

She turned to Kazuo again. "And what are his true plans?"

Kazuo grinned malevolently. "The King knew nothing of his son's plans. Dai planned to put Nihon under the yoke of the Sembians without the King knowing; supposedly, his father would have been so proud that he would have bestowed the crown upon him rather than to his older brother."

"No...!" Dai screamed as he tried to free himself from the chains binding him. A ninja punched him hard in the face and he slumped forward, knocked out.

"And so, I end my tale," Kazuo said mockingly. "Now you know all."

Souma stared hard at him. "Kurogane could not have possibly survived," she said in an emotionless voice.

Syaoran held his breath, hoping beyond hope that Souma's words would prove false.

For the first time, Kazuo's face betrayed a human feeling; regret. "I didn't want to kill him," he said in a quiet voice. "He shouldn't have gotten in the way..."

"But he did!" Souma snapped. "And now you will have to face the consequences!"

This did not seem to move Kazuo anymore, as he took on a sinister expression again. "Then bring them on," he growled.

"You know what awaits you, do you not?" Souma asked him coolly.

"Yes," Kazuo slurred. "I will let death take me. In its clutches I will be freed of all bonds and restrictions imposed upon mortals. For the time is nearing."

Syaoran froze. _The time is nearing...?_ He had heard that phrase in his previous dream. _And... the assassin and the samurai! _he suddenly remembered. _They said the same thing!_ He turned to Souma. "May I ask him something as well?"

Souma turned abruptly to look at him. "What do you want to ask him?"

Syaoran drew a deep breath and looked at Kazuo evenly. "Do you have anything in common with the samurai and the assassin? The ones who tried to kill Princess Tomoyo this month?" he asked him slowly.

Kazuo's head snapped up, and the expression he wore was one of fear. As if a great weight were upon him, he choked, "Yes."

"What is the connection?" Then Syaoran gasped in realization. "Who do you truly serve? I don't think that Prince Dai was clever enough to come up with a plan like that."

Kazuo's eyes were so wide they were in danger of popping out. He struggled against his iron bonds. "We all had the same cause," he choked, the cords of his neck standing out with strain. "And we did not serve Dai... for Dai himself serves another..."

Souma arched her eyebrows. "And who does he serve?"

"His name is—" Kazuo suddenly screamed horribly, making the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end. He shuddered violently and sagged. Spit dribbled out of his open mouth.

Souma bent down and lifted his head. His eyes wore a blank expression, and his skin was clammy. "He's dead!" she gasped in surprise.

———————————————

"Fay-san!" Sakura called out to him.

Fay turned from examining an ornamental shield from the other side of the throne room and dashed to her side. "Did you find anything?"

"This," she said as she held up a red stone in the oval shape of an egg, hung upon a chain. "I found it right under the windows."

Fay took it from her and examined it. He pressed his palms against it and closed his eyes. "It's some sort of magical item..." He looked up at her. "It's time for you to start sensing life-forces," he said as he forced a smile.

"And what will that help us with?" Sakura asked him nervously. She was not too eager to learn how to do something else with her magic that day. Already, she felt drained from the effort she had exerted with telling apart truth from lie.

"We can then determine who this belonged to," Fay told her. "It could be Kazuo-san's, but we won't know until we make sure." He handed her the necklace. "First, clear your mind of all thoughts, save one in the form of a question: whose this is. Don't think of it as a question, though. Think of it as a command, like, _'Tell me who this belongs to.'_ You get me?"

Sakura nodded. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Did you clear your mind?"

"Yes," she said after a moment.

"Concentrate on finding out who it belongs to. Try to pass the message that you want to see a picture of him in your mind," he instructed her.

Sakura frowned as she concentrated hard. "I can't!" she said exasperatedly after several moments.

Fay shook his head. "You aren't trying hard enough."

"I am!" she said indignantly.

"No, you aren't," Fay sighed. "Do you want his murderer to walk free?" he asked her in a cold voice.

Sakura looked up sharply. "We don't know if he's dead yet..." she said weakly.

"Sakura-chan, wake up!" Fay snapped. "There's no way he could have survived! Those wounds were fatal! One arrow right next to the heart, the other probably hitting him in some organ or other..." He faltered, horrified. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I shouldn't have shouted like that..." He covered his face with his hand wearily. "It's just..." His emotions were threatening to overwhelm him, and it was something he was not used to. Even in Celes, he had never let his feelings get the better of him. He had always worn his mask of beguiling ease and acted frivolously to hide his true feelings and to achieve his ends.

But all this did not matter anymore... not if... No, he must be strong... he mustn't break down and cry...

Moments passed in silence.

He finally looked up at her helplessly, controlling the tears that wanted to come bursting out of him. "Face it, he's gone," he said softly. "What we have to do now is avenge him. Find the one who was behind this all. So you have to concentrate harder."

Sakura clenched her fist. Kurogane... gone? She had felt so close to the ninja these last few days... and she had never gotten the chance to tell him how much she valued him. He had been one of her best friends... practically like a brother to her...

She looked up at Fay again, and her gaze was steely. "For Kurogane-san," she said strongly and concentrated as hard as she could.

———————————————

Souma slammed her fist against the wall. "Damn it!"

Syaoran warily approached her fuming form. "Souma-san..." he tried to say.

"Let me be," she interrupted him in a constrained voice. "Kazuo-san died of his own accord, just like the others." She covered her face with one hand. "_I_ wanted to kill him!" she cried.

Syaoran bit on his lower lip. He honestly had no idea what to do or say. But he had to try. "Souma-san... there was nothing you could do. It's obvious someone is interfering here. I'm positive that the one Kazuo-san worked for took his life away, so he would not reveal his name."

Souma continued to tremble with ill-suppressed rage, but she raised her head. "You're right," she said through clenched teeth. "There are mysterious forces at work here."

Syaoran averted his gaze. Souma seemed to have transformed into a relentless beast, eager to spill as much blood as she could. He understood that Kurogane's... state... had greatly shocked her. This was her way to battle with the confusion and the indignation she felt at it. And Syaoran's way to battle with it was to keep on hoping that there was a chance that Kurogane would make it.

He looked up at the sound of the doors opening and Fay and Sakura entered. "So...?" was all that he could ask them.

Fay surveyed him and Souma seriously. "We found this ruby amulet under the windows. It belonged to Kazuo-san. It was a magical ornament that hid his aura. That's how he managed to slip past the other ninja."

Souma took the pendant and examined it.

"Dai-ouji has a similar magical object, which hides his thoughts and feelings. That is how he tricked Princess Tomoyo," he continued.

Sakura turned to look at Kazuo. "Is he dead?"

Syaoran frowned slightly. Her voice had a hard edge to it, something that had not been there before the... incident. "Yes," he told her. "He died like the others."

"The others?" Sakura asked him sharply.

"The assassin and the samurai. They had a connection. They were working for the same person."

"Dai-ouji?"

"No. Dai-ouji himself is working for someone else," Syaoran explained.

"Who? Did you question him yet?" Fay asked.

"Not yet," Souma said grimly. She turned to Dai's slumped form and pulled back his shirt, ripping the black medallion away from him. She turned to the others. "You must tell Princess Tomoyo about these magical objects," she said as she handed Syaoran the medallion and the pendant. "I will wait for you to return with her. And then we can question him." Her voice was emotionless and cold as she regarded the empty space before her with a stony gaze.

———————————————

"It's been over two hours..." Syaoran said quietly as their footsteps echoed against the marble walls of the corridors. "I wonder how he's doing..."

Fay sighed heavily. "Don't get your hopes up. I highly doubt we'll enjoy the news," he said darkly.

"What do you mean...?" Syaoran asked him, fearing the worst.

Fay bit on his lower lip, not daring himself to answer. But it was getting more and more difficult to control the burning sensation in his throat.

"Kurogane-san lost a lot of blood, and he was hit in vital areas by two arrows," Sakura said seriously, her voice hoarse. "There's no way..." She faltered and wiped furiously at her eyes. "He's..."

Syaoran froze. "It can't be..." he said weakly.

Fay put his hand on his shoulder. "I know," he said quietly. "But it's been two hours... there can't..." He shuddered as the burning sensation had now also reached his eyes.

No, he would not cry, especially not in front of the others. No, no... He had to be strong for their sake. But Fay could hold himself back no longer. "We have to face it," he croaked as he wiped away his tears. "He's dead."

Mokona squirmed on Syaoran's other shoulder. It could not stand it anymore as it broke down and began to cry bitterly. Sakura lifted it up in her arms tenderly and tried to comfort it.

Syaoran's brain hardly registered these movements. Kurogane dead? It couldn't be... it couldn't...

But Fay and Sakura were both right. He had been too badly hurt for there to be any hope for him. This, Syaoran now realized. But it wasn't possible... it wasn't...

Kurogane had made it through tougher situations. He had battled his way out of numerous dangers and had managed to pass a number of obstacles. He couldn't let two measly arrows beat him... could he?

But before Syaoran knew it, they were in front of the doors. Beyond were the two healers, Tomoyo, and...

Fay tentatively rapped his knuckles on the door. "Tomoyo-hime?" he called her. "We have important information we need to share with you."

There was a sound of movement behind the doors, a shuffling, and the door opened. Tomoyo slipped out and closed it quietly behind her.

They didn't want to believe it. Somehow, there was still a small part in each of them that had been hoping beyond hope that Kurogane would make it.

But the wet tears upon Tomoyo's face obviously meant...

Kurogane was dead.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** Okaaaaay. A lot of OOC in this chapter, I think. No, I don't think it... I _know_ it! Souma's nowhere near as vicious as I made her out to be! And Syaoran cursing? (Well, CCS!Syaoran would.) But as I was struggling more for emotion in this chapter, I believe it to be justified... to a certain extent. It's about time Kurogane gave some room to the others to breathe in this fic! Isn't it tedious to keep reading about the same character all the time? (Ouch, I didn't mean for it to sound like that! Poor Kurogane!) Just try to ignore that last line. It won't sound as horrible in the next chapter... really!

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	7. Unanswered Questions

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 7 — Unanswered Questions**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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Her robes and hands were still covered in blood, and if they had not known that it was... _his_... they would have believed that Tomoyo had been badly injured. She trembled as she approached them, her petite alabaster face wearing a grave expression. She fell into Sakura's arms and sobbed upon her shoulder.

"Tomoyo-hime..." Sakura tried to comfort her.

Tomoyo stood back and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She could not stem the flow, but through the tears she cracked them a broad smile. "He's going to be all right!"

Their stunned minds tried to comprehend what she just said. Could it be...?

"He's going to live?" Mokona squeaked, its voice betraying that which they all felt.

"Yes," Tomoyo cried, and Syaoran suddenly realized that her tears were not of sadness, but of joy. "He's resting now and he'll probably have to stay in bed for at least two weeks... but he's going to live!"

Mokona seemed to be renewed with these harmonious news as it leapt into her arms and showered her with kisses, saying in a sing-song voice, _"He's gonna be okay! He's gonna be okay!" _

They suddenly felt as if they'd been filled with light and hope. Their hearts lifted and their dark looks were replaced by expressions of immense relief and surprise.

"Oh..." Sakura gasped, and she had also begun crying with happiness. "I... I can't believe it!" She subconsciously wrapped her arms around Syaoran. "It's wonderful news!" She felt so relieved and happy that she wanted to embrace the whole world. Who cared if Kurogane was a grouch and ill-tempered? He was their friend; someone who had stood by them through thick and thin and risked much for their sake. Only they knew the real Kurogane—the real Kurogane had a heart of gold.

Syaoran blushed furiously with Sakura's arms about him, but he could not hide the fact that he also felt happy. Their friend was going to make it... He felt as if a great weight had lifted from his shoulders and he wanted to laugh out loud, which he did. And he didn't care if he seemed ridiculous—the joy he was feeling was something he just had to express.

Fay had been literally rocked. He couldn't believe his ears... Kurogane was going to live! Fay felt slightly guilty that he had lost hope so soon. But nothing else mattered now. The incorrigible ninja was going to be all right! _Kuro-chan really _is _strong-willed_, Fay thought with a snicker,_ not to mention pretty resistant! Two arrows... sheesh!_ Fay laughed out loud and he started whooping and jumping for joy. "Hyu!" he exclaimed happily.

They didn't care that they looked like a group of idiots with the way they were acting; they had their reason and they treasured it.

"Imagine Kuro-myuu's expression when we tell him how we acted when we found out he was gonna be okay!" Fay grinned. "Me jumping and whooping, Sakura-chan and Tomoyo-hime crying, Syaoran-kun laughing, and Mokona singing!" He assumed a kittenish smile. "You have to admit, it sounds a bit silly from another person's point of view, right?"

They collapsed in helpless giggles.

"He'll probably blush like mad," Sakura laughed. "Not that I've ever seen him blush... but there's no doubt that he'll feel pretty embarrassed that we cared so much about him."

Fay sniggered. He had seen Kurogane blush—and furiously—only yesterday. Yesterday... it seemed so long ago. So much had happened that events that had happened less than a day ago felt distant and far-off.

"Mokona can see it now," Mokona giggled, enraptured, as it paused atop Tomoyo's head and spread its paws. "He wakes up, we all file into the room, we tell him that we were so worried (plus how we reacted when we found out he was gonna live) and he'll be all like, _'There was no need for you guys to go bonkers on me! Psh... it looks like that dumb wizard has finally gotten to you!'_" Mokona said, imitating his annoyed voice.

They burst out laughing again; their bubbling euphoria seemed to just keep on going and going. They hadn't even realized that they had been so worried, for how else could they explain this happiness than by it developing from their anxiety?

"Besides Kurogane's recovery..." Tomoyo grinned after she had regained her composure somewhat. "Didn't you say that you had something important to tell me?

"You'd better come with us, Tomoyo-hime," Sakura told her solemnly. "We'll take you to Souma-san. She's been interrogating the prisoners."

"Prisoners...?" Tomoyo said slowly.

"The ones behind the assassination attempt," offered Syaoran.

———————————————

Souma tested the sharpness of her dagger by running her thumb along its edge. It cut her, so, pleased, she put away her whetstone. "Perfect," she said quietly, as she observed Dai from the corner of her eyesight.

He had regained consciousness and was now trembling uncontrollably; his face had taken on a peculiar green shade, as if he was going to be violently ill.

"It'd be a shame to have to dull my dagger upon your pitiful neck," Souma said slowly as she balanced it in her hand. "But after what happened today, I'd say that it'd be worth it." She stood up and turned to Dai, bending over him as she pressed her dagger against his throat.

He leaned back against the wall, trying to get as far away from her as he could.

Souma chuckled softly. "How I'd love for Princess Tomoyo to hand you over to me," she said as she ran the flat of her dagger along his neck. "I'd make sure you'd get a treatment befitting your royal status."

Dai continued to shake with fear, but could not hold himself back as he cried out, "You're mad!"

Souma paused. "If it is indeed so, I have you to thank for that. You and Kazuo-san." She knelt down in front of him and grasped his throat in a firm grip. "You took away a loyal ninja. And for that, you'll pay."

Dai's lips cracked in an evil grin. "Did you love this ninja, perhaps?" he taunted in a dry cackle.

Souma's eyes narrowed as she slammed his head against the wall behind him. His eyes glazed over slightly, but he did not fall into unconsciousness as he had not sustained a serious injury. Souma wanted to keep him intact for Princess Tomoyo. Then... she would have her way with him. "Kurogane was my cousin," she hissed in a low voice. "And the greatest ninja among us all."

The other ninja nodded solemnly.

"Too bad for your loss!" he spat. "Good riddance! They say that this Kurogane's a bloodthirsty lunatic! Kills for fun..."

Souma did not know how long she could control herself. She dearly wanted to slit this pathetic excuse for a human's throat. Just when she had made up her mind that she would draw a little blood from him, the doors opened.

Tomoyo entered with the others behind her, her face hard. She approached Dai and Souma. "That will be enough for now, Souma," she said in a cold voice. "I'll take it from here." She stood before Dai, her hands on her hips, as she regarded him with a steely gaze. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Perhaps it was because of her words, or perhaps it was because of the fact that she hadn't changed out of her white robes, which were still heavily smeared with dry blood. Then again, it could have been because of her very presence, which radiated power. Dai broke down in tears, sobbing pitifully. "Tomoyo..." he croaked.

"Do not dare to address me without the customary titles and formalities ever again," Tomoyo whispered threateningly.

Dai stopped crying abruptly, as if he had been slapped in the face.

"You will tell me why you designed this assassination," she continued. "And I will not tolerate any lying."

Dai squirmed uncomfortably.

"Speak!" Tomoyo commanded in a strong voice as she clenched her fist shut.

Dai went rigid and his body began to shake spasmodically as he screamed. Tomoyo opened her hand and Dai fell limp to the ground, gasping.

"I am not as weak as you and your underlings suspected. I will extract the answers I need from you, whether you like it or not. You can choose the easy way or the hard way. What say you?"

Dai beheld her with a pleading look. "Tomoyo... please..."

"Did I not tell you that the privilege to call me by my name alone is denied to you?" she demanded sternly.

"You don't understand, Tomoyo..." he sobbed.

She clenched her fist once more and had Dai writhing and screaming around for several moments until she released him. "I understand all too well..." She drew a deep breath. "It was all a lie then?" she asked, her voice throbbing with ill-disguised pain. "All those times you gazed at me with supposed adoration..."

"No, it wasn't a lie!" he cried out.

"Liar!" she snapped. "Without your amulet I am now able to see the real you. You never cared for me." She narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Your mind is finally open to me, and now I finally see what a cesspool it is," she murmured in a soft voice, which dripped venom. "Your thoughts are foul and loathsome. But I am to blame, since I am the one who fell for your lies," she spat bitterly.

"I had considered calling off the wedding once, but I thought better of it because I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I was willing to give up my true feelings and happiness for you and for my country..." She swallowed hard and grit her small teeth. "But you didn't care about hurting mine! You deceived me and tricked me!"

"Tomoyo, wait—"

"I am not finished!" she exclaimed as she formed a fist, causing him to double over with pain again. "You are a despicable excuse for a human being, and I regret the moment I fell for your lies. You are as vermin and grime, and your treachery has finally been revealed." She unclenched her hand and Dai collapsed, drawing ragged breaths. "And I can't believe I would have given myself willingly to you," she whispered vehemently.

Something about that last phrase jogged something in Syaoran's memory. "Tomoyo-hime!" he gasped.

She turned. "What is it, Syaoran-san?"

"I just remembered something about this man... I'm sorry I didn't remember it sooner, but too many things were on my mind." He took a deep breath. "Before the wedding had even begun, the moment Kurogane-san saw this man, he was fully prepared to kill him without even considering the consequences."

Tomoyo froze. "Why is that?"

"Because of something that happened eleven years ago," Syaoran said cryptically, not wanting to be too obvious with what he was saying, hoping that Tomoyo would understand what he was implying.

"Eleven years ago...?" Tomoyo mused as she frowned in thought.

Several moments passed in silence, but for Dai's frantic struggles to free himself. Tomoyo's eyes were distant as she brought back to her memory the events that had occurred on that fateful night; Semba's army swarming through the castle gates, the panic and confusion that was everywhere she turned, and her mother's dying breath that still sent shivers down her spine whenever she recalled it.

_"Be brave, little one. For there is still light in the silence of the darkness."_

Tomoyo's eyes suddenly snapped open as she drew in her breath sharply. She turned to regard Dai in horror. "You!"

Dai's face paled. "Tomoyo..."

"Shut up, you filthy hypocrite!" she shouted as her fist filled with flames. "Now I remember! All too well..." She began to tremble with rage. "And I would have... I'm so glad that I still had a clear head. And then and before... the same despicable..."

None of them had the faintest idea what she was talking about, but they surmised that it had something to do with her and Dai by the way his eyes had suddenly widened in fear.

Her eyes flashed as she drew in deep breaths, her hand wreathed in dancing scarlet flames as she glared at Dai with loathing. But she seemed to reconsider it, and the fires in her hand diminished. "All in good time..." she muttered. "For I still need answers." She stood erect, and despite her petite physique, she seemed tall and terrible in her anger. "Why did you plan this assassination?"

Dai trembled. "I did not..." he gasped.

"You lie," Tomoyo spat in a low voice. "It may not have been originally your idea, but you fashioned it to fit your needs." She took a step toward him. "Your perfervid plans are now at an end, for now I see what you really are."

"And what is that...?" he asked in a small voice.

"A traitor to your country, to your family... and to one whom you once called 'treasure', though I deeply regret the moment that word passed your lips." She regarded him steadily. "Will you tell me now all that I wish to know?"

Dai looked up at her, swallowing hard. "I can't... he'll kill me..." he whimpered.

"Who—?"

"Wait, Princess!" Souma cried out. "We tried asking Kazuo-san the same thing, and he died!"

"Then there must be some exterior force at work here..." Fay muttered.

"Precisely," Tomoyo said darkly. She stooped over Dai. "I will try to search him. I need no physical contact if his feelings and thoughts are very intense, but he is trying very hard to hide the truth from me... so I will have to delve into his mind. It is more draining than detecting truth from lie, but in this case..."

Dai squirmed violently as Tomoyo's fingertips pressed against his temples. His pupils suddenly dilated and he went rigid as he screamed, _"Take your hands off of me, you witch!"_ in a horrid voice that bore no similarity to his own.

Everyone was taken aback. Half of the ninja had drawn out their swords before Tomoyo held up a commanding hand and said, "That won't be necessary." She turned to the others. "The moment I caught a glimpse of his mind, he was lost. He is no longer Dai-ouji. But from the little contact I had with his mind, I was able to discern that he has made a Dark Contract."

Fay's eyes widened. "And what does it involve?"

"All I was able to determine... is that he has given up his soul," she said gravely. "I was denied access to the terms and involvements."

"That doesn't sound too good," Mokona commented.

Fay's expression was revolted. "Not at all good," he agreed in a strangled voice. "To give up one's soul is to give up that which distinguishes one person from another person," he explained. "He gave it up in exchange for a dark purpose."

"There is nothing more we can do here," Tomoyo said weakly. "He agreed to exchange his soul, and now it has been collected. From the moment I looked into his mind, the one who bound him to the Contract took over. Dai-ouji is lost" She turned to leave.

_"Mage..."_ came a rasping voice from behind her. _"The day will come when you will be tested. And then we shall see who is more powerful."_ The person who was talking was Dai, but his voice had changed; it was deep and resonated. _"For I know your purpose, and the purpose of the Fellowship." _

Tomoyo turned sharply. "What?" she demanded, alarmed.

_"Yes..."_ Dai slurred. _"For I am the One Without Destiny." _

Tomoyo, Fay, Sakura, Syaoran, and Mokona gasped.

_"And we shall soon meet in person. For the time is nearing."_ He began to cackle insanely, then his eyes rolled in their sockets. He slumped forward and moved no more.

One of the ninja close to Dai pulled up his head. His eyes were expressionless and empty, and his skin was pale. "He's dead!" she exclaimed.

"Not again!" Souma cried in exasperation. "_I_ wanted to kill him!"

Tomoyo turned to Souma. "There's no need to feel like that anymore, Souma. Kurogane is going to live."

"What...?" Souma said almost inaudibly. The other ninja had also been stunned.

"Yes," Tomoyo said. "All he needs now is plenty of time to recuperate. And rest." She frowned. "But it seems that these were no ordinary assassination attempts. There is something else; something more dark and treacherous behind these attacks." She looked meaningfully at the others, and they returned her grave expression.

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It had been six days since the deaths of Kazuo and Dai, and in those six days Sakura and Syaoran had been taking turns in watching over Kurogane. The healers had instructed them to give him a sleeping draught concocted with special herbs they had made each time he woke, because the pain would be too much for him to bear at first.

Tomoyo had gone the next day to the Sembian Embassy to explain to the King what had happened to Dai. The King had been furious at first, then dismayed, and, finally, revolted with his son's actions. He was a wise king, and he did not blame Tomoyo for Dai's death. It was common knowledge that priestesses were incapable of lies and deception, and Tomoyo was renowned for her honest heart.

Tomoyo had then found the opportunity to ask him why he had launched the war against Nihon eleven years ago, for she deemed him too wise and cautious to have made such a ruthless move. He admitted that it had been his brother, in fact, who had first been elected as Warleader, and he had died when Tomoyo's father had killed him in a duel, but not without first wounding him gravely. And so, he had assumed his brother's authority, and had later on been decreed the King.

He had then promised Tomoyo that he would undertake a search for the person who called himself the One Without Destiny, and that he would try to somehow make up for the way Dai had treated her. Tomoyo had simply smiled, and had said that it was not necessary for him to make up, but that she would really appreciate any information regarding the One Without Destiny. So, the King of Semba and the rest of the Sembians had departed peacefully for their country the next day, gossip thriving among the courtiers on both sides.

Fay had then undertaken to help Tomoyo in finding more information. Since they were both skilled mages, they compared and contrasted their experience and knowledge in order to better determine what had really happened. Then they had delved into Shirasagi's library in hopes of finding something there that would aid them.

Mokona had tried to pin the feather's vibes down, but to no avail. It had told Syaoran the day before that there were mysterious forces interfering, preventing it from pinning down an exact location. This did not stop it from trying at least eight times a day however, something that drained it terribly. Syaoran had finally told it firmly to quit trying, at least until they had more leads to help them.

It had fallen to Souma to tell Kurogane's family what had happened to him. Souma had been dreading their reactions, and with good reason; Kurogane's mother had been reduced to hysterics, Suzue had shouted her head off, demanding why Souma hadn't done anything to prevent something like this from happening, but Kurogane's father had said nothing, only stared blankly into space.

Souma had been very lucky that she did not develop a migraine that day. Whenever she had to deal with Kurogane's family, she almost always returned to Shirasagi Castle with splitting headaches. But her luck had obviously run out on her that day since they had decided to accompany her back to Shirasagi to see Kurogane.

_Look out_, she thought dryly, _they've been unleashed_.

She did not blame Kurogane for wanting to spend as much time away from his family as possible. Who would? His family did, in fact, hold much honor, but Souma secretly suspected that it went to their heads sometimes. They were extremely emotional; his mother was incredibly fussy, his sister was as hot-headed as him, and his father as strict as they came. The fact that he used to be a ninja like Kurogane did not help at all. He always thought Kurogane's efforts were not up to scratch, and whenever he clapped eyes on him he always had something negative to say. Until Kurogane had succeeded in beating him and taking his place as Lead Ninja, that is. His father had then wordlessly handed over his sword Ginryuu, accepting the fact that Kurogane had defeated him. The only time he had actually shown any pride for his son, for he had later on continued criticizing him whenever he could.

_Well_, Souma thought with a chuckle, _let's see what he'll say when he sees Kurogane... and when he finds out he doesn't have Ginryuu anymore..._

Souma did not think of Kurogane's family unkindly. She was sincerely fond of them—they were her family too, after all—but it was just their attitudes that got on her nerves sometimes...

Like now.

"No," Souma told Suzue firmly.

"Why not?" Suzue demanded heatedly. "I want to see him!"

"He's still too weak. He hasn't even regained consciousness yet," she pointed out.

"That doesn't matter! I'm family!"

"I said no, and that's that."

Suzue crossed her arms and assumed a prominent expression.

Fay poked his head in the room. "Hey, Souma-san! I thought I heard you dulcet tones from the hallway!"

Suzue snickered as Souma frowned. "I was simply explaining to Suzue-san why she can't see Kurogane," she said from behind clenched teeth.

"Why can't she?" Fay asked her curiously as he let himself in. "I just did."

"You did?!" Suzue exclaimed as she rounded on him. "How is he?!"

"Fast asleep! Like yesterday, like today, and by the looks of it, he's going to be sleeping tomorrow, too!" Fay grinned.

"Er..." went Suzue. "But... you said you just saw him..."

"Yeah," Fay chuckled. "All I did was check up on him, though. He's still totally unconscious," he said as he waved his hand to emphasize his statement.

"So there's no point in seeing him?" Suzue asked him dully.

"Not unless you call watching someone sleep exciting!" Fay laughed. "You can, of course. He doesn't talk, but you _can_ see him. And you're family! It'd be pretty strange if his family didn't check up on him and his friends did!" He elbowed Souma and winked. "Right, Souma-san?"

Souma rubbed her arm and grumbled, "Do what you want. I'm going to bed. I feel as if I'm about to have a splitting headache."

"Thank you, Souma-chan!" Suzue squealed and embraced her happily. "Let's go!" She grabbed Fay's wrist and propelled him out of the doorway.

"Hyu! Slow down!" Fay grinned as he pulled back his hand. "It's this way." He pointed in the opposite direction Suzue was dragging him.

"Come on, then!" Suzue said impatiently as she pushed him forward. "I want to see my Nii-chan!"

"Nii-chan?" Fay snickered. "Is that what you usually call him?"

"Yup! It always gets on his nerves," she giggled.

"I'd better try it sometime," Fay said humorously. "I've run out of nicknames!"

After a few minutes, they reached the room and Fay rapped smartly on the door. They heard a shuffle from inside, then it opened a crack. "Yes?"

"It's me, Sakura-chan. I've brought a visitor for Kuro-rin!"

Sakura opened the door wider and skirted to the side for them to pass. "Come on in. But be quiet. He's sleeping."

"What else has he been doing for the past six days?" Fay said wryly.

Sakura stifled her laughter as she turned to Suzue. "Aren't you Kurogane-san's sister?"

"Yes..." Suzue said distractedly. Her eyes then fell upon Kurogane. "Kurogane!" she gasped in a strangled voice as she rushed to his side and knelt down by his sleeping pallet.

Kurogane's chest was rising steadily as he breathed, the bandages stretching about his bare torso each time he inhaled deeply. A spot in the bandages near his heart was stained with dry blood. But despite his weak and battered appearance, his face was calm and serene; a small smile played about his lips.

"Why is he smiling?" Suzue whispered.

"He must be seeing a good dream," Sakura surmised as she sat across from Suzue; on Kurogane's other side.

"Is he in any pain?"

"Only when he comes round to. The healers told me to give him a sleeping draught every time he wakes, so he won't hurt."

"But won't he want to wake up sometime?"

"Yeah..." Fay grinned. "But he hasn't been able to say anything yet. All he's managed are grunts and moans, so until he actually starts speaking in a coherent language, we'll continue to water him with the potion."

"He's not a plant, Fay-san," Sakura chided him.

"Really? The way we're tending to him makes me think otherwise."

Suzue stifled her giggles. "You're funny!"

"Why, thank you!" Fay said lavishly. "I've been waiting for someone to compliment me like that for ages!"

"He's _really_ funny!" she whispered to Sakura. "I can't wait until Kurogane wakes up! We'll have so much fun pestering him!"

"Dost my ears deceive me?" Fay said as a huge grin decorated his face. "Have I found a partner in crime? Someone to help me torment Kuro-tan?"

"You got it!" Suzue winked.

"Why... I never thought it possible I'd meet someone quite like you! Fascinating..."

"Someone like you, you mean?" Sakura suggested with a smile.

"Not exactly... I mean, I thought Souma-san had a sense of humor, but she's too down-to-earth. She doesn't take it to the limits... you know what I mean?"

Suzue nodded. "She always draws the line somewhere."

"Ahh... but that's where you and I come in," Fay winked at Suzue. "You see, we're not afraid of Kuro-pii, because we know that no matter how angry he gets with us, he'd never intentionally hurt us."

"You're going to have to teach me all of those nicknames," Suzue grinned. "I can't wait to use them on him!"

"All right then!" Fay laughed as he settled down beside her. "Let's see... the first one I made for him was Kuroi-san, if my memory serves me. It was when we had first met and he was wearing those unfashionable black-and-red ninja garments. I hadn't caught his name properly, so I..."

As Fay's voice trailed on, Sakura's anxious frown grew more and more prominent. Kurogane was in for some interesting times with Suzue and Fay teaming up to torment him. Sakura silently decided to continue giving him the potion to keep him asleep for as long as she could. She felt that she owed the slumbering ninja that much, at least. A small repayment for his help with finding her feathers. Which reminded her...

When Mokona would eventually pin down her feather's location, they would have to leave Nihon without Kurogane. She tried to get used to the idea of not having him around. It made her feel uneasy. She had gotten so used to his presence and vaguely wondered how they would be able to continue onward without him. His peculiar demeanor, his perceptive thinking, his expert fighting skills... he had helped them out hundreds of times, and if it hadn't been for him in some tight spots, they would have been in deep trouble. So how would they fare without him?

Sakura shook her head slightly. They could make it without his help. Kurogane deserved to find peace after four years. _And there _were_ compensations, _Sakura giggled.

She hoped things would work out between him and Tomoyo. She knew that Tomoyo also felt the same for him, and now that they had discovered that Dai had never loved her... well, things were looking up for Kurogane.

He would eventually wake up to find a number of surprises in store for him.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** So... yeah, Tomoyo acts reaaally OOC here. But I did that because I thought... well, wouldn't she have been pissed off with Dai for deceiving her in such a manner? D'oh. I don't think even Tomoyo would've been able to control her temper in such a situation. If I were in her place, I'd be ready to do him in! (Nyeh, but Tomoyo and I are two totally different people, so never mind.) And Souma is still OOC with Dai and all. Bleh. Sometimes, writing stuff that's never going to happen in the real storyline makes you worry about these tiny little details concerning the characters... how would they react in different situations? It's quite a hassle.

I decided to maintain 'Nii-chan' even though I'd decided to forgo all those Japanese phrases. I just found it too awkward for Suzue to call Kurogane 'Big Brother' or 'Big Bro' or something. Reminded me too much of the reality, hehe.

And did you guys honestly think that I'd kill off Kurogane? My favorite character? NO WAAAAY!

At least not today... ;)

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	8. Awakenings

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 8 — Awakenings**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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Kurogane first understood that he was in pain. Intense pain. Then the pain had ebbed away, and he had drifted back to sleep.

He vaguely realized that this peculiar process had been repeated two more times, and dimly recalled he had been given a hot beverage to drink the last time, which seemed to inflict his drowsiness.

And at long last, he had regained full consciousness.

He awoke to a dull headache and to a throat parched with thirst. The first sensations he felt were stiff and protesting muscles, and the second were searing pains along his back and chest. He tried to open his eyes but they stung horribly when the light hit them, and he screwed them tightly shut. After a moment he tried again; this time by squinting at first, until his vision had adjusted to the brightness. After he had managed that, he slowly and steadily opened his eyes wider, until he could finally stand the light and see with clarity.

He realized after a few moments that he was on his back, staring at the white-washed ceiling. He tried to turn his head to better view his surroundings, but he suddenly felt extremely dizzy and stopped; drawing even breaths to control the urge to be violently sick. But his deep breaths caused his chest to constrict in pain, so he tried to breathe less forcefully.

After a few moments, and after the sharp pains had subsided, he licked his dry lips, speculating on how to go about this. He finally came to the conclusion that he had to try and at least get up in a sitting position; what good would it do to remain on his back?

He tried to move his limbs, but every movement caused him agony. He couldn't even summon enough strength to move his arms. But he would not give up. He gritted his teeth determinedly and slowly raised his lower arms. Supporting his weight with his upper arms, he strained protesting muscles as he raised himself slowly and deliberately upon his elbows, ignoring the fire that suddenly erupted in his chest. Then he put his lower arms underneath his back and lifted himself up in a sitting position.

He very nearly blacked out again from the pain and nausea that ruthlessly attacked him, and dark specks danced across his eyes as he forced himself by sheer willpower to keep conscious. He breathed steadily and cautiously until the dizziness faded away, and was mildly surprised to find himself drenched with sweat for his efforts. He laid the palms of his hands upon the floor to support himself as he chanced a look around.

He saw that he was in a plain room, devoid of personal items and furniture save for the sleeping pallet he was upon and for a pile of cushions close-by. He looked down at himself and saw that he was stripped to the waist, wearing a pair of black pants trimmed in silver, and that he was bare-foot. He hardly registered these petty details, however, for his attention was drawn to his torso.

Large bandages were wrapped around him, and a specific area on the left side of his chest was stained with something crimson. What had happened? Had he been badly injured? Probably, by the way his chest and back relentlessly sent massive ripples of pain through him.

His eyes traveled around himself, steadily taking in his environment. He saw two broken arrows nearby. They were covered in blood. _That's _my_ blood_, he realized with a jolt.

Then the memory of what had happened at the wedding came flooding back. _Tomoyo!_ Was she safe? Was she all right? Had the assassin been apprehended? Or had the assassin managed to hurt her...?

Sinking feelings of alarm and anxiety had taken hold of him, but worst of all was a creeping sensation of dread that clutched at his heart. He quickly stood up, ignoring the staggering waves of pain that engulfed him; he had to find Tomoyo. But he had barely gotten to his feet when he felt the familiar dizziness kick in with astonishing force, and before he could stop himself, he had fallen forward with a loud _thud!_

At that noise, a group of people rushed into the room. Kurogane struggled to raise himself, but his chest and back ached too much. He dimly took in two pairs of hands lifting him up, and he gave off a low moan when his back and chest shot through with sudden pain. They laid him back against his sleeping pallet, and one person tried to give him something to drink. Remembering the hot liquid that had caused him to sleep before, he pushed it away, mumbling, "I don't want it..."

"It looks like Kuro-puu's finally recovering!" exclaimed one of the voices happily. "I was really beginning to wonder if he'd ever wake up!" The voice was light and witty, and there was a hint of mockery behind the words.

Kurogane struggled to make out the shapes that were around him, trying to force away the black spots flecking his vision, which threatened to overwhelm him and drag him back into the world of darkness. He frowned as he realized whose voice that was...

"Not you..." he groaned weakly.

"He recognized me!" Fay giggled.

Kurogane closed his eyes, counted to three, and opened them again. He found himself surrounded by the familiar faces of his friends; Sakura, Syaoran, Mokona, and Fay.

Kurogane struggled to raise himself. "What happened?" He winced as his chest and back throbbed painfully.

"Lie back," Sakura instructed him as she put a restraining hand on his shoulder and pushed him back on the pillows.

"Will somebody tell me what happened?" he snapped irritably.

"We can tell you some other time. For now, drink this." Sakura tried to give him the potion.

"No..." he groaned as he pushed it away. He had somewhat forgotten his worry and fear at first, but they now returned in full measure. Why was Sakura trying to keep him asleep? Had something horrible happened? He struggled to raise himself in a semi-sitting position, ignoring the waves of pain searing through him. "Ah...!"

"Kurogane-san! You're hurting yourself!" Syaoran tried to force him back on the sleeping pallet.

"Stop it," he snarled as he pushed his hands away. "Why the hell're you guys trying to pamper me?" His eyes widened. "What happened?!" he demanded, alarmed. "Did anything happen to Tomoyo-hime! That's it, isn't it? That's why you want to keep me asleep! Why aren't you telling me?!" He tried to rise, but he fell back with a sharp gasp as he clutched at his chest.

"Hold your horses, Kuro-bun," Fay chuckled. "You saw what happened when you tried to get up before. You fell flat on your face!"

Kurogane tried to glare at him, but he couldn't summon enough strength. "Tell me," he begged them in barely a whisper. "Is Tomoyo-hime hurt?"

Sakura smiled reassuringly at him. "No. She's perfectly fine. You saved her."

Kurogane sighed with relief, then grimaced slightly at another sharp stab of pain.

"How do you feel?" Mokona asked him tentatively.

"Sore," he said truthfully. "I've definitely had better days."

"I believe that," Fay grinned.

Kurogane pointedly ignored him. "Can I have some water?" he croaked after a pause.

Sakura got up and poured him a glass of water from a pitcher upon a small table. "Here you go," she said as she sat down upon a cushion beside him.

Kurogane arched his eyebrows. "It won't make me sleep, will it?"

Sakura giggled. "No. It's just water."

Kurogane gingerly hefted himself in a sitting position, which left him feeling light-headed and dizzy. His chest and back seared suddenly and he sagged back with a small groan.

Sakura cupped the back of his head with one hand and eased the glass to his lips with the other. He drank eagerly, some of the water spilling down his front. "More," he gasped. Sakura filled the glass again and repeated the same procedure. He drank again, less eagerly this time, savoring the way it cooled his burning throat down. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and sank back against the pillows with a small sigh. "That's better."

"Don't mention it," Sakura smiled.

Kurogane looked up at them expectantly. "Now will you tell me what happened?"

"Don't you remember the wedding?" Mokona asked him.

"I remember seeing the assassin about to shoot Tomoyo-hime, and me pushing her out of the way," he muttered, then frowned, trying to remember. "Then I remember pain, and shielding Tomoyo-hime again when another arrow was going to hit her. Then... I don't remember clearly... the assassin seemed to fall, and then everything went black."

"Well," Syaoran began. "I guess it all starts with the assassin." He regarded Kurogane with a serious expression. "It was Kazuo-san."

"What?!" Kurogane gasped weakly. "How... why... how can it be?! A ninja?! One of Tomoyo-hime's own ninja?! What...?" He would have never thought Kazuo capable of such an act. The young ninja had always seemed so innocent and naive... which, Kurogane now realized, must have been a mask to hide his true intentions.

Syaoran then recounted what had taken place; from Kazuo's confession, to Fay and Sakura finding the pendants, and to Dai's death and mysterious message.

Kurogane frowned. "But how come Tomoyo-hime's magic worked on the prince and not on the samurai and the assassin?" he wondered, recalling that Souma had told them that Tomoyo had been unable to question them.

"The thought crossed my mind once," Syaoran admitted, "and I asked Tomoyo-hime about it. She suspects that the One Without Destiny did it on purpose; she was able to question Dai-ouji only because he had allowed it."

Kurogane traced his mouth thoughtfully with one finger. "Then this guy _wants_ to be found," he muttered. "There's definitely something wrong with this picture... but I can't put my finger on it..." Kurogane frowned. "I get the feeling that there's more to this than there seems..." He suddenly inhaled sharply as he felt fire flow through him, like thousands of knives twisting inside of him. He clenched his fists in the bed sheet as he doubled over in intense pain.

"Kurogane!" Mokona cried out in fear. "Are you all right?!"

Kurogane drew even breaths to try and steady himself. "My back..." he groaned. He leaned his forehead on his hands as he continued to draw shallow breaths, careful as to not set off his chest-wound as well. Then the pain ebbed away, and only a dull throb remained. After a few moments he raised his head. "I think it's passed now," he said quietly.

"Are you sure?" Sakura asked him anxiously.

"Yeah..." He gently eased himself back against the pillows.

Sakura bit on her lower lip in worry. Kurogane seemed so helpless and vulnerable... she would have never thought it possible that he could seem so frail. Not at all like the Kurogane she knew. Then again, this _had_ been the first time he had nearly been killed.

"So... just out of curiosity," he said after a pause, "how long have I been asleep?"

"It's been close to... twelve days," Syaoran said carefully.

"What?! Twelve days...?" Kurogane said weakly. He sagged even deeper into the pillows. "What hit me?!"

"Two arrows!" Fay grinned. "Why, what did you expect? A day and you'd be a-okay?"

"No... but..." Kurogane exhaled. "Twelve days?" he repeated, amazed.

"We've got a question, too, by the way," Fay smiled after a few moments. "How is it that you reacted so fast to the attack? Before Kazuo-san had barely shot the arrow, I mean, since you couldn't have possibly sensed his aura because of the pendant?"

Kurogane squirmed uneasily. He definitely didn't want to reveal that it had been due to the fact that he couldn't stand looking at Tomoyo because of his feelings for her. "By chance, to tell you the truth. I... I guess I got bored or something and started looking around the throne room. I dunno why, but my eyes rose to the ceiling and there I saw him, about to shoot." He shrugged, bringing forth another ripple of pain, and he winced slightly. "So I did the only logical thing."

"Take the hit yourself," Fay supplied.

"That was an accident!" Kurogane said defensively. "I just wanted to get Tomoyo-hime out of the way, then I turned to see if he had shot..."

"But you have to admit, it was pretty obvious that you intentionally took the second hit, right?" Fay asked him, grinning hugely.

"Well..." Kurogane tried to say, feeling his face getting hot. "I..."

"Oh, shucks, Kuro-pon! It's so cute that you care so much about Tomoyo-chan!" Fay giggled.

Kurogane glared at him as he grabbed a pillow and threw it at his face. "Quit it with those damn nicknames!" he shouted, his chest throbbing again. "And—wait just a minute! Since when have you been calling her Tomoyo-chan?!" he demanded in horror.

"Do I see jealously rearing its ugly head?" Fay asked slyly as he peeked at him from behind the thrown pillow he had caught in mid-air.

The others tried to stifle their laughter.

"You're avoiding my question," Kurogane snarled in a deadly voice.

"It's nothing, really. We're just working together. It's so tiring calling someone 'princess' all the time, don't you agree?" he asked him with a grin.

"Working on what?" he demanded in a low and dangerous voice.

"Research as to what happened to Dai-ouji." Fay took on a kittenish smile. "We've all been pretty busy these last twelve days. Sakura-chan has been taking care of you, Syaoran-kun and Mokona have been poring over the Prophecy, and Tomoyo-chan and I have been researching Dark Contracts."

Kurogane glared at him furiously, and the fact that his chest hurt him made the glare even more intimidating.

"It _is_ jealousy! You're jealous!" Fay laughed. "But never fear... I don't like her like you do. I like her like I like Sakura-chan, Syaoran-kun, Mokona, and you Kuro-tako! Like a friend!"

"Like her like you like...? " Kurogane muttered, trying to untangle all the likes. But it was too much for him to handle at the moment. He cleared his throat, and, upon trying to change the subject, he asked, "So have you found anything on these so-called Dark Contracts?"

"Nothing much," Fay sighed. "Tomoyo-chan's got a lot of books in the library that talk about magic, but since she's not a practitioner of the Dark Arts, we aren't making much of a headway. I mean, based on our knowledge and experience, we've come up with a pretty good picture of what happened, but it's still mostly guesswork."

"What do you think happened?" Syaoran asked him curiously. "You haven't told us yet."

"Well..." Fay mused. "Dai-ouji must've met the One Without Destiny sometime before he started courting Tomoyo-chan"—he ignored Kurogane's cringe at these words—"so it must've been a little over a year ago..." He pursed his lips for a few moments, then nodded to himself. "The One Without Destiny probably offered to help Dai-ouji with his little escapade of conquering Nihon and taking the throne of Semba from his brother. (Very ambitious fellow, wasn't he?) So, they wrote up the Contract, and the exchange for the One Without Destiny's aid was Dai-ouji's soul. He probably gave Dai-ouji the medallion so he could deceive Tomoyo-chan. Then he probably found some warriors and made some sort of Dark Contracts with them, too, so they could try to assassinate her, presumably with the purpose to fail. And then, he probably persuaded Kazuo-san to actually be successful. Dai-ouji must've wanted to blame Tomoyo-chan's death on Kazuo-san at first, so he could strike at Nihon when it was weak. The One Without Destiny probably helped Dai-ouji for the sole reason of getting rid of Tomoyo-chan." He shrugged exaggeratedly. "That's it."

"But..." Sakura said slowly. "The Prophecy said that the One Without Destiny is one of Fei Wang Reed's agents, right?"

"Then he's after the feathers, too," Syaoran muttered darkly.

"But why get rid of Tomoyo-hime?" Kurogane wondered. "If he's working for your enemy, then what—?" But he was interrupted in his musings by a light knock on the door.

Syaoran got up and opened the door a crack. "Yes?"

"May I come in?" asked a girl's voice tentatively.

Syaoran's eyes flitted to Kurogane once before slowly saying, "Of course..."

Suzue entered and caught her breath when she saw that Kurogane was awake. "Oh... Nii-chan!" she gasped as she rushed to his side. "How are you? Do you hurt?"

Kurogane started violently—so violently that he lapsed into an extended fit of coughing, which left him feeling winded and light-headed, his chest searing him painfully. "Suzue?! What're _you_ doing here?!"

"I came to see you, of course!" she said brightly. "Mother and Father are here, too!"

_"WHAT?!"_

"Uh-huh!" she grinned. "I was so worried about you!" Her happy expression suddenly hardened. "What the hell were you thinking of, getting hit by two damn arrows?!"

"I didn't mean to..." he tried to explain.

"Yeah, right," she snorted. "You're too reckless! Always on the move... you should try to loosen up and relax! Fay-kun's a perfect example!"

"Don't you go telling me he's a good example and—hold it! Since when have you been on speaking terms with him?!" he demanded, extremely flustered.

"Since you were still out cold six days ago," she told him dryly. Her expression then turned sly. "Which reminds me... I know something that you don't," she said in a singsong voice.

"What...?" he asked her warily. Did he even want to find out?

"Kuro-min snores and smiwes when he sweeps," she said in a childish voice, artfully batting her eyelashes.

Kurogane's jaw dropped open. "What?!" he spluttered. He did not know what to argue with first. The fact that she was calling him Kuro-min which was one of the nicknames Fay had given him (_Since when have they been talking with each other?!_ he thought furiously), or the fact that she had just blurted in front of the others that he snored and smiled when he slept (_Smile? Me? In my sleep? What the hell was I dreaming of?! Aaah... it must have been _that_ dream_, he thought as he felt his face getting warm)?

Fay chortled, "Wooks wike Kuro-chii's a wiiittle embarrassed!"

"Oh, look! He's blushing!" Suzue giggled. "Right... there!" She pointed at his cheeks, which had become a light shade of pink.

The others were trying (unsuccessfully) to stifle their laughter.

Kurogane groaned and laid back against the pillows, covering his face with one. "Why the hell've you guys turned me into an object of derision?!"

"Ooh... Kuro-rin's learned how to use big words!" Fay teased. He was laughing so hard that he did not see the pillow flying at him until it hit him squarely in the face. "Ah!" he gasped in surprise, then giggled shrilly.

"Ha! Now maybe you'll put a cork in it, you bastard," Kurogane snarled. "And—!" But his words were cut short when his stomach gave off a large growl.

"Methinks you're hungry," Fay grinned.

———————————————

It had been four days since Kurogane had regained consciousness, and although he found that he could now stand with only a slight dizziness, he lurched somewhat whenever he tried to walk. "As soon as you can walk normally, the healers say there's no need for you to stay in bed anymore," Syaoran told him.

"Finally," Kurogane grunted. "I'm sick of lying in bed all the time. I feel so useless."

Syaoran smiled. "You're not at all useless. If it hadn't been for your fast reflexes, Tomoyo-hime would have been hit instead. You're a hero."

Kurogane sniffed. He had had no desire to become a hero. But that was what had happened. After he had woken up, he had had a number of guests; all were thankful that he had survived and that he had managed to save the Princess. Even Kurogane's parents had stopped by to see him; his mother had been overjoyed to find him (relatively) in good health and had fussed over him with a passion and his father had simply admonished that Kurogane was as reckless as ever, with a glare that made them all quail. Souma had passed by a little later, happy to see him alive and well, and had apologized about not warning him about his family sooner. But there was one person who hadn't paid him a visit yet, and he was wondering at that.

Tomoyo hadn't passed by yet.

He knew that she probably had better things to do than to visit wounded ninja, but he _had_ saved her. She could have at least passed by to say thank you or something...

"Um..." Kurogane began tentatively. He did not want to make it seem as if he cared about it, but he just had to know. "So... how's Tomoyo-hime?" He screwed his face up in a sour expression. _Stupid! I shouldn't have asked it like that!_

"I don't really know, to tell you the truth. She's probably still caught up with her royal duties," Syaoran said in a low voice. He gave no hint if he had understood why Kurogane had asked him the specific question. "And the others are still trying to puzzle out that box. We're no help whatsoever since we don't have powers," he said heavily.

Just after Kurogane had come round to, a package and a letter from the King of Semba had arrived. In the letter, he had informed them that they had found some clues on the One Without Destiny. They had discovered that a wandering vagabond had decorated himself with the name about two years ago, and, until recently had been residing in a classy tavern in Sembia, Semba's capital, by the name of the _Red Rose_.

The vagabond in question had never removed his cloak, and he had drawn people to him with the 'tricks' he displayed. He had earned his keep by entertaining the customers in the tavern, and it turned out that Dai had gone for a drink there one day and had been fascinated by his 'magic'.

The King did not know how and when the two of them had met together and come up with their plans, and the tavern keeper had not been able to give them a satisfactory answer. _"He seemed to be under some sort of spell and could have told us whatever we wanted—except that he couldn't tell us what we really wanted regarding Dai and the vagabond," _he had said in his letter.

And when the King had ordered his guards to have the vagabond apprehended, they had found no trace of him, save that his rooms had had the appearance of a hasty departure and that he had left behind a small red box that they had been unable to open, which he had given to Tomoyo.

So, Tomoyo had handed the box over to Fay, Sakura and Mokona because she had fallen behind in some of her duties and needed to catch up. The threesome had been trying to open it ever since, for it was obviously protected by some sort of magic spell. They passed by every now and then to check up on Syaoran and Kurogane, informing them every time that they still hadn't managed to open the box.

Syaoran had decided to keep Kurogane company since he had raised his hands in defeat on the Prophecy. It was so confusing and incomprehensible—full of riddles and tantalizing hints that made no sense at all—that he had half a mind to never look at it again. Kurogane didn't want to admit it, but he felt grateful for Syaoran's company; he was able to keep up a civilized and mature conversation with him, unlike with others...

"Yeah..." Kurogane sighed. "Well, at least that idiot's not hanging around, tormenting me all the time."

Syaoran leaned his elbows upon the windowsill behind him. "Fay-san may be somewhat frivolous and annoying at times... but it looks like your sister's replaced him in that," he pointed out with a wry smile.

_Dong..._

"Ever since they met and that bastard taught her all of those damn nicknames she's been _literally_ driving me up the wall," Kurogane grumbled irritably. "And I don't trust the way she talks about him..." He was feeling very over-protective of his little sister.

Syaoran looked up, frowning. He thought he had heard something that sounded like a gong. "Did you hear that?" he asked Kurogane slowly.

"Hear what?" he demanded, arching an eyebrow. He hadn't heard anything, and he was wondering whether Syaoran was feeling all right.

_Dong..._

"There it is again!" Syaoran gasped.

_Doku doku doku..._

_A heartbeat?_ Syaoran wondered. "Ah!" His right eye suddenly seared with pain and he collapsed, falling to his knees.

"Eh? Kid?" Kurogane gingerly raised himself as quickly as he could afford his protesting muscles. "Are you okay?"

Syaoran did not answer. Images seemed to flash before his eye, which he kept tightly shut. Images of... a dark place... and some sort of green light... and a boy... with red markings...

_Syaoran..._ he heard a faint voice call him.

_Who are you?_ he said warily.

_You are in danger..._

_What?!_ Syaoran demanded.

_To your left..._

Syaoran did not know what came over him then. He wondered about it afterward, and he felt terrible for initially trusting the voice. But it was as if all reason had left him when he turned to attack someone who had been approaching him from the left without being able to control himself.

"What happened?" Kurogane asked him anxiously as he wobbled to his side. He laid his hand on his shoulder worriedly.

Syaoran's reply was an immense kick that got Kurogane in his abdomen and sent him flying into the wall. "Argh!" he cried out as his body flashed with intense pain and the air rushed out of his lungs. He lay stunned for a moment on the ground, drawing ragged breaths. "What the hell's gotten into you?!" he gasped as he struggled to get to his feet, his hands gripping at the wall in an attempt to raise himself.

Syaoran did not answer. He seemed to have lost control of his body. He straightened and approached Kurogane with sure and steady steps.

_You must kill him..._

_But it's Kurogane-san!_ Syaoran's mind screamed in protest.

_He is the enemy..._

_Not Kurogane-san!_ Syaoran tried to control his hands, which were gripping the hilt of his sword.

Kurogane lurched unsteadily to his feet, clutching his torso, then fell to his knees again. _The kid's not himself!_ _He's acting just like when we first got here..._ Kurogane knew that there would be no way Syaoran would regain control over himself anytime soon. He quickly tried to think of a way of immobilizing him without hurting him. But Syaoran was approaching rapidly, and he was drawing his sword.

And he had been cornered, and had no weapon himself.

Syaoran was now before Kurogane, and he raised Hien in the air, ready to deliver the fatal blow. _No! Please! Stop!_

For one of the first times in his life, Kurogane felt totally helpless. He was in pain and had no way to protect himself. His eyes were wide as they beheld the sword, which had started its descent...

_NOOOOOOOOOO! _Syaoran exclaimed in horror.

Kurogane reacted on instinct; he raised his hands and caught the blade between them, his palms pressed against the cool steel as he tried to force the sword away. "Get a grip!" he cried as he summoned all the strength he could muster and pushed Hien away. "This isn't you!"

_I know!_ Syaoran said silently. _But I can't stop myself! I can hear you, but I can't do anything!_ His arm shot out again, and, with a swinging sweep, he nearly decapitated Kurogane hadn't the latter ducked in time.

Kurogane crouched low, his right hand upon the ground and his left arched in the air, ignoring protesting muscles and spasms of pain as he calculated the distance separating them. He narrowed his eyes in speculation as he leapt out of the way of another sudden attack. He continued to dodge Syaoran's blows, until finally spotted an opening; Kurogane lunged and tackled him to the ground.

Syaoran hit the ground hard, his lungs exploding as the air siphoned out of them and his sword skittered away. Kurogane fell upon him and quickly gripped his wrists, his knees effectively pinned against his chest. "Wake up!" he snapped. "You have to control it!" He had to bring him back to his senses somehow. Then it came to him. "Think of what would've happened if the Princess had been here instead of me!"

Syaoran glared at Kurogane with utter loathing in his eyes as he thrashed beneath him, trying to escape. But upon hearing about Sakura, his eye shot through with a painful stab, and he found that he could control himself once more. His limbs relaxed and his eyes widened as he gasped in terror. "I'm sorry..." he croaked. "I... I couldn't stop myself..."

Kurogane got off of him and offered him his hand. Syaoran took the offered hand and pulled himself to his feet. He hesitated, then bowed low in apology. "I'm so sorry..."

At that moment the door opened and Fay, Mokona and Sakura entered.

Fay arched a brow upon seeing the expressions on their faces. "I'm guessing something happened." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Exactly," Kurogane said. He turned back to Syaoran, regarding him curiously. "What the hell happened?"

"I don't really know..." Syaoran muttered. "I heard something like a gong, and then a heartbeat. Then I thought I saw a boy with red markings on his arms, and someone called my name..." He swallowed. "He... he told me I was in danger and I couldn't control myself... and I attacked you..." His voice cracked slightly. "He told me I had to kill you... that... that you were the enemy... I didn't want to, but I couldn't stop myself... I'm sorry..."

Kurogane put his hand to his chin, frowning. This sounded serious. For someone to force Syaoran to attack his companions...? But what did the boy with red markings have to do with Syaoran? Could he have controlled him? Could he be the One Without Destiny? "Has this ever happened to you before?" he asked. "Other than when we first arrived here?"

Sakura frowned at that, but said nothing.

"When we were in Sharano, my eye hurt me three times, and one of those times I felt I had lost control of my limbs, if only for a moment. And then in Piffle, I saw a dream with him in it. Someone was calling me... and the voice..." Syaoran faltered. He had a faint suspicion... but should he share it? "I... he sounded like someone I knew... and the boy... looked... like me..." he finally finished tonelessly.

"Syaoran-kun," Sakura gasped as she took his hands in hers, "you'd never want to hurt us, I know it. It wasn't your fault."

"But I couldn't control myself... it _was_ my fault, I should've fought against it... and I nearly... I nearly... I'm so sorry, Kurogane-san, please, forgive me..."

"Hey, it's okay," Kurogane told him gruffly. "At least it happened when I was here."

"Aren't you perhaps a little too overconfident?" Fay asked him with a sly smile.

Kurogane snorted, then grimaced slightly at the usual sharp twinge of pain. "No, I'm not. What would _you_ have done if he'd attacked you?" he snapped.

Fay pursed his lips in thought. "Good point," he finally said.

Kurogane shook his head in dismay. "The fact that remains is that someone is interfering here. It's happened before and—hang on, did something like this ever happen to you before Sharano?"

Syaoran shook his head.

"Hmm..." Fay's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "But we can't overrule the possibility that this won't happen again. It probably will, and it's something we can't risk."

"I don't think it's something we can stop," Kurogane pointed out. "It's obvious that this is something the kid'll have to puzzle out on his own. The enemy's using him and not any of us for a reason."

"But he's using Syaoran-kun to get to us," Sakura interjected. "Can't we do something to prevent this from happening again?"

"No," Syaoran said quietly, causing their heads to turn in his direction. "Kurogane-san is right. This is something that has to do with me and me alone. If Fei Wang Reed or the One Without Destiny or whoever it is who controls me controls me again, it'll be up to me to stop him. There's nothing any of you can do." His face was serious, and in his eyes shone a determination that spoke volumes. "It's my problem and I have to face it."

"But, Syaoran-kun," Sakura protested, "we can't let you face something like this alone!"

"Not when something like this concerns us all," said Fay.

"There's nothing you can do!" Syaoran suddenly exclaimed. "It's not like you can open my head at leisure and remove whatever offends you! I'm not a book or an object that you can change according to your tastes! I'm a human, a human who has a will of his own. And that will is being tested." He drew a deep breath. "Don't you understand? It's something that has to do with me alone. It's only using _me_. So it's something _I_ have to fight against."

Sakura's face betrayed that she felt helpless that she could not do anything for Syaoran and that she was very worried about him. Fay also seemed as if he wanted to say something that could prove the opposite of all that Syaoran claimed, but he could not find the words to show him wrong.

Kurogane nodded. "I'm sure that if you work your hardest, you'll figure this out."

Syaoran looked up curiously at him. It was not often that Kurogane gave advice or spoke praise for anyone, but here he was, telling him that he had complete confidence in him and in his abilities. It made Syaoran find renewed strength, and he felt that he could face anything now.

"Did the garments bear a strange symbol?" Fay suddenly piped up.

"Eh?" said Syaoran and Kurogane.

"The clothes this... boy... was wearing. Did they have a strange symbol upon them?"

"Now that I think about it... a strange circular shape..." Syaoran admitted.

Fay pulled out a black amulet from his obi belt. "Did it look like this?"

The amulet in question was made out of a strange black metal with a circular deep-red background on it. It was decorated with a peculiar black symbol that looked vaguely like a diamond at the bottom with two outstretched wings at its sides, crawling upward. The symbol irresistibly resembled a bat more than anything else.

"That's it!" Syaoran gasped. "But where...?"

"Sakura-chan managed to open the box," Fay told him and Kurogane. "It turned out to open with a simple spell, actually. Ridiculously simple, like most simple spells you first thought complicated. Well, this amulet was in it. Along with this," he said as he opened it and pulled out a small folded piece of yellowed parchment. He unfolded it and showed it to them. The writing was so small that they had to squint to make out the ideograms.

_"Meet me upon November's full moon at midnight atop Solar Tower,"_ Syaoran read.

It was addressed to the One Without Destiny.

"Solar Tower...?" Kurogane muttered slowly. "Wait a minute!" he gasped. "That's one of the Two Towers!"

"What are those?" Syaoran asked him curiously.

"The Two Towers are the Lunar Tower and the Solar Tower," Kurogane explained. "The Solar Tower is in Semba and the Lunar Tower is in Nihon. They're ancient structures that were made thousands of years ago. We've never found out their true purpose. They just exist." He scratched his head. "They're something like relics, you could say. Possibly monuments to forgotten gods. We don't have the slightest idea why they were made or if they actually do something, except for an obscure myth that goes way back."

"Which is?" Syaoran asked him eagerly.

Kurogane snorted in disbelief at Syaoran's fascination before finally shrugging and saying, "Well, according to legend, Nihon and Semba were once one country that was ruled in peace and in harmony by two divinities. The Solar Divinity was Amaterasu Omikami and the Lunar Divinity was Tsukuyomi No Mikoto, and they were siblings. But after a number of years had passed, they found that they couldn't always agree when making decisions for the welfare of their people. So they decided to spilt the country into Nihon and Semba. Amaterasu Omikami created the Solar Tower to reside in and to rule over Semba, and Tsukuyomi No Mikoto did likewise, creating the Lunar Tower to rule over Nihon. But because of this separation, an enmity grew between the peoples of Nihon and Semba, and they fought constantly amongst themselves. The two divinities were disappointed by mankind's failure to cooperate and departed from the world of mortals to reside in the spirit world, leaving them to their own devices. But legend has it that if one of pure heart attempts to reunite Nihon and Semba, the divinities will return to rule united once more and the land will prosper." Kurogane shrugged, wincing slightly. "But as I said, it's just a myth. A stupid fairytale..."

"But... the One Without Destiny is supposed to meet someone at Solar Tower..." Sakura murmured. "When's the next full moon?"

"I'd say in around ten days," Fay mused.

"The One Without Destiny is Fei Wang's agent," Sakura said as she frowned in thought. "And now we know that Fei Wang must be the one behind what's been happening to Syaoran-kun since the boy in his dreams bears the same symbol as this amulet. The One Without Destiny is supposed to meet someone at Solar Tower at the next full moon. Someone who must also be working for Fei Wang," she concluded.

"But isn't it odd?" Syaoran wondered. "Solar Tower symbolizes the sun. To meet someone atop Solar Tower at the full moon...?"

"A paradox?" Fay suggested.

"It's possible."

Fay nodded. "Perhaps Sakura-chan's feathers may have something to do with this meeting." He turned to the white creature on his shoulder. "Mokona?"

"There's definitely a lot of magic southward," Mokona confirmed. "All the magic that's been interfering has been coming from the south."

Syaoran clenched his fist determinedly. "That means that we have to go to Semba. To Solar Tower."

"Hyu! We shall embark upon another long and perilous journey with Syaoran-kun in the lead!" Fay giggled. "Team Tsubasa's back on track!"

Kurogane frowned. Team Tsubasa... was he still a part of it? He honestly did not know. He was back home, but his friends were still here, in search of the feather. Could he offer them his aid? At least one more time? He sincerely wanted to. They had been through a lot together, and he couldn't bear to leave them. Not yet, at least.

But it was obvious that the situation had gone beyond him now. From someone plotting against Tomoyo, then turning out to be one of Fei Wang's agents? Something strange was happening in his home-world. What could Fei Wang possibly want with Tomoyo? Wasn't he after the feathers? Did Tomoyo have anything to do with Fei Wang?

But maybe... because Tomoyo had shown them the Prophecy, she had become a target. But that didn't make any sense; the One Without Destiny had started sending assassins after her long before they had found out about the Prophecy. And one of them must have surely been from a different dimension.

What on earth was going on?

_Tomoyo..._ Kurogane sighed. Now that things had quieted down should he dare to make a move? To tell her how he felt for her? He saw what had happened because of him not saying anything. But he also knew that he was just a ninja and that she was the Princess of Nihon. What could he ever hope to accomplish?

But what had Sakura told him before? _"I'm a princess, too, and it wouldn't matter to me if I were in her place. Who cares if you're just a warrior? If you were earnest, and told her, something might actually happen! If you really love her, you have to risk it!"_

So should he risk it? Should he tell Tomoyo how he truly felt for her? How _did_ he feel for her, anyway? He wanted to protect her from danger. Whenever he looked at her, his heart leapt in adoration. He felt a warm sense of serenity whenever he was near her and whenever he was talking with her...

He loved her.

But... what if she refused him? He didn't know if he could bear it. He had never felt anything similar for anyone else before. Would he be able to get over her if that was the case?

_"KURO-WANKORO!"_ Fay suddenly screeched in his ear.

"Gah!" Kurogane exclaimed as he started violently. "What the hell was that for?!" he shouted angrily.

"Kuro-muu wasn't answering our calls, so I took drastic measures," he laughed. "You were gone for a few moments, there. It seemed as if you were thinking about something reaaaaally deep." He wrapped one arm around Kurogane's shoulders and drew close. "It was something about Tomoyo-chan, wasn't it?" he whispered in his ear.

Kurogane furiously pushed Fay away. "I don't have to answer that," he retorted hotly.

"Nyan nyan! It was! I knew it!" Fay giggled as he jumped up and down. "Hyu! Kuro-wan's a lovesick doggy! A _big_ lovesick doggy!"

Kurogane lunged at Fay, but Fay was too quick and leapt away, laughing his head off, singing, _"Kuro-chan's in looove! Kuro-chan's in loooooove!"_

"Shut up!" he bellowed at him.

_"Kuro-chan's in looooove! Kuro-chan's in looooooove!"_

Sakura, Syaoran and Mokona collapsed onto the floor in a heap; Sakura and Syaoran were seat-dropping nervously, whereas Mokona was laughing so hard that it couldn't even support its own weight.

Kurogane glared at Fay. "Shut it, you friggin' bastard! I'm sick of you!" he spat. He fell upon his sleeping pallet with a _plop_ and bowed his head between his knees.

Fay unceremoniously settled down on a cushion in front of Kurogane. "Is Kuro-rin okay?" he asked, grinning.

"Get away from me or I swear I'll hurt you," he threatened him in a low and muffled voice.

Fay arched an eyebrow. "You really do love her, don't you?" he asked him quietly.

Kurogane's head snapped up and he opened his mouth to retort angrily, but upon seeing the serious expression on Fay's face, he simply nodded.

Fay smiled blissfully. "It must be a nice feeling. Being in love. Your heart leaping whenever you hear that person's name. Having your mind on that person all the time, even if you're asleep. To take one look at that person and lose yourself in that person's beauty and character..."

Kurogane regarded him curiously, frowning slightly. He had never heard Fay speak in such a manner before. Almost as if he, too, had experienced something similar...

Fay turned to look at Sakura and Syaoran. "Right?" he asked them innocently, grinning hugely.

Sakura stood up and brushed her robes nervously, blushing slightly as she nodded, whereas Syaoran remained where he was sitting, but bowed his head as he blushed profusely.

Fay turned back to Kurogane. "You're going to have to tell her," he told him in a matter-of-fact tone.

Kurogane scowled. Fay was right, but what was he even going to say to her? _Oh, Tomoyo, guess what. I love you_. He shuddered. _No way! It sounds ridiculous!_

"Kurogane-san," Sakura started to say as she sat down beside Fay, "it won't do any good to ignore your feelings. You'll just feel worse."

"But..." he said, struggling to explain himself. "How am I even gonna tell her...?"

"Well... don't be crude and blunt," she advised him. "Start with something like, _'Do you remember how we first met?' _That's a nice phrase," she smiled.

"Sakura-chan, Kuro-pippi can't possibly say something like that," Fay chortled. "He's gonna have to say something romantic to move her, something like, _'When I gaze into your eyes I seem to lose myself, for they are as deep and eternal as the sea.'_ That'll get her for sure!"

"That's too sudden and too elaborate, Fay-san! He has to start nice and simple, and go at it subtly and slowly," she pointed out.

"I know! I know!" Mokona squealed as it leapt upon Fay's head. "Kiss her! That's how she'll understand how you feel!"

Kurogane sweat-dropped and buried his face in a pillow. "Some help," he muttered sarcastically under his breath.

"Just be honest," Syaoran advised him solemnly as he got to his feet. "Tell her what's going on in your heart. From then on, it doesn't matter what words you use, as long as you mean them."

Kurogane looked up. Syaoran seemed somehow... different. His hard and serious face had softened, and his eyes seemed to be gazing at something that only he could see. Only then did Kurogane realize that he and Syaoran were very much alike, for Syaoran himself cared for someone deeply and had not said anything, just like him. But Syaoran's case was different. He had given a price and he had accepted it. But there were no such restrictions on Kurogane. So why not make the most of it? There would be no better opportunity.

Kurogane nodded in thanks. "That's the best advice I've heard yet." He grunted as he bent and began to pull on his boots.

"Er... what are you doing, Kurogane-san?" Sakura asked him timidly.

"Following your advice," he told them shortly as he finished tying up his bootlaces. He winced slightly as he stood up, then pulled on a simple black cape, being unable to find his shirt. "You guys're right. I'm going to have to tell her sooner or later." He drew a deep breath. "Now's as good a time as any." He squared his shoulders and turned toward the door. He paused. "Well... wish me luck."

He laid his hand against the door handle and was about to let himself out, but for Sakura calling him. "Kurogane-san," she said timidly.

"What?"

She smiled at him warmly. "Just be yourself."

A pause followed her advice. "Thanks," he said in a low voice, then drew open the door and left.

Fay leaned back upon the soft cushions with a large grin. "Now, we wait."

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** Okay... about the Two Towers... I so didn't mean for it to sound like the _Lord of the Rings_, sorry! I suppose some things just rub off of me. However, Amaterasu Omikami and Tsukuyomi No Mikoto were in fact divinities, and the solar and lunar divinities, too, according to Shinto religion. But I used what I liked and created this legend. I mean no disrespect. After all, this _is_ fiction, right?

And, of course, you're probably all aware by now that Syaoran isn't actually controlled/manipulated in the original storyline. At the time, we honestly had no idea about it, so I really expanded on it. I'm not sure how it'll turn out now, but oh, well! It's one of CLAMP's specialties to confuse us poor fans like this! XP

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	9. Revelations

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 9 — Revelations**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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Sakura smiled broadly. "I'm positive things will work out for Kurogane-san and Tomoyo-hime." She hugged a pillow close to her face and grinned blissfully. "I'm sure they'll be very happy together!"

"How can you be sure of that? Tomoyo-hime was going to marry someone else," Syaoran pointed out. "We know how Kurogane-san feels about her, but what if it's an unrequited love?"

Sakura giggled as she rubbed Mokona's ears ("That tickles!" it exclaimed happily) and said in a quiet voice, "It is not an unrequited love, for Tomoyo-hime is in love with Kurogane-san, as well."

Fay sat up suddenly, his blond hair somewhat messed up by lying among all the cushions strewn on the floor. "Really?" he asked Sakura curiously, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Then why was she going to marry Dai-ouji?" He eased his head upon his arms and arched his eyebrows expectantly.

Sakura leaned back and scratched at her chin in thought. "The way I understand it—from sensing Tomoyo-hime's feelings—is that she had given up on Kurogane-san. She had had no idea that he felt the same for her, and she believed that he would never be able to see her as something other than the Princess of Nihon. So, she had tried to forget about him these past four years and had consented to continue the wedding after our arrival for Dai-ouji's sake—because she thought that he loved her."

"Hmm... a noble and self-sacrificing act..." Fay muttered. "Probably also to keep the peace between the two countries."

Sakura nodded. "But now that Kurogane-san will confess his feelings, she'll be able to tell him, too, and everything will be all right!" She sighed happily as she buried her face in the pillow. "It's so romantic!"

Fay chuckled. "Gee whiz, isn't it funny? For two people to be in love with each other and to not know that the other feels the same? Even if they spend lots of time together and they talk together... it's right under their noses and they don't even see it!" He grinned at them. "That's actually the best kind of romance! Because they knew each other before, there'll be no problems afterward! The only problem is fessing up!" He yawned hugely as he stood to his feet. "Well, I'd better hit the sack or I'll be zoned out tomorrow. See you in our rooms. Oh! If you see Kuro-myuu afterward and he's victorious, tell him congrats from me. Coming, Mokona?"

Mokona hopped out of Sakura's lap and leapt onto Fay's head. "Good night!" it greeted Sakura and Syaoran.

Fay winked at the two of them before closing the door behind him. The sound of the door sliding closed was strangely final and smug.

———————————————

Kurogane took long strides through the empty hallways. His steps echoed hollowly against the light-blue floor-tiles, the rhythmic and repetitive movement allowing his mind to wander.

What on earth was he doing? Was he out of his mind?

Probably.

He sighed heavily as his footsteps continued to reverberate ominously in the vacant corridors. He passed by a number of doors and hallways, but he continued onward, his course sure and unwavering.

He was going to confess his feelings to Tomoyo.

To be completely honest with himself, he had never, ever, felt this nervous before in his entire life. Not even when he was thirteen, anxiously awaiting the King to choose the ten ninja-in-training for the Personal Guard. Not even when he had become twenty and he had to pass the Test that would qualify him as a full-fledged ninja. Not even when he was about to combat with his father to claim the rank of Lead Ninja.

No, this time topped them all. What he was feeling was unsettling, unnerving and unremitting. He felt completely lost and utterly confused; totally nonplussed. How could he tell her? Sure, the advice Syaoran gave him was good... but it excluded all the painful little details; like the fact that his insides were writhing and squirming about in anxiety and dread, and that he was feeling queasy and faint.

He couldn't tell Tomoyo that he loved her... he just couldn't! Even if he managed to tell her (supposing that the lump in his throat had passed by then) nothing would ever happen between them. He was a ninja, a simple warrior, and she was the Princess, the ruler of Nihon. She was his superior, and nothing would change that.

Tomoyo was a just ruler and she was a powerful sorceress. She was sweet, charismatic, and beautiful. She was very intelligent and very wise. During the years that had passed—ever since he had been chosen as a trainee in the Personal Guard—Kurogane had felt a strange feeling when near her. He had felt somewhat drawn to her petite stature, and he had felt that she needed undivided attention for her protection. He soon saw, however, that she was not at all weak, and that she was more than capable of handling herself and others. He had then felt admiration on her behalf; ever since that fated day she had become the ruler of Nihon. She had put on a strong face and had accepted her duties without question, never shrinking back from any difficulties that had arisen. She had been as firm as adamant in her decisions and her resolve was unwavering. She was very perceptive and always seemed to know if there was a problem. She was one of a kind.

Kurogane was not exactly sure when his feelings for her had developed into love, but he knew that it didn't really matter in the outcome. He would be telling Tomoyo how he felt for her any minute now. The feelings that went past simple loyalty and devotion and bordered on complex passion and desire. The feelings that haunted him day and night, not leaving him in peace. Feelings that stirred a longing in him whenever his gaze fell upon her flawless face, her charming smile, and her mischievous, deep-violet eyes. Her quirky sense of humor also attracted him, as she was able to find something amusing in any serious situation—like when she had sent him away, or when she had reprimanded him for his previous bloodlust.

It was the job of all ninja to protect the Princess, but Kurogane had taken it to the limits—and past them. Ever since the war with Semba eleven years ago and when he had become a full ninja three years afterward, he had mercilessly slain anyone whom he had deemed a threat to her. There were various nobles and criminals who would attempt to use their underlings to try to assassinate or to spy on Tomoyo, but after thoroughly questioning and disposing of them, Kurogane would set off on solitary journeys to eliminate the masterminds. A well-placed sword-thrust usually did the trick.

Tomoyo had scolded him about his killing-obsession on a number of occasions, but he would pay no heed. He had made himself a promise, and he had no intention of breaking it. And by the deaths of others he also found that his strength and experience grew—something that greatly satisfied him. However, there were also dangerous fiends and mages that lurked in watchful wait, anticipating the least-expected moments to strike at Tomoyo. Instead of being petty plots to overthrow her, these demons thirsted for her magic power. Each ninja was capable of performing special techniques that could severely wound them and scare them off, but Kurogane had been determined to protect Tomoyo by destroying them, despite the dangers of these malevolent beings. He had mastered many special techniques, and, when performing them, was able to successfully vanquish the opposing fiends.

Tomoyo had admonished him once with a mysterious smile, whispering softly, _"At the rate you're killing off my enemies, there will be no need for a Personal Guard,"_ once again chiding him for slaughtering the helpless. Despite her light attitude whenever commenting on his battle-mania, he had been able to tell that she was displeased with his behavior, but he would not relent. Her safety was his number one priority, but he had never been able to bring himself to admit it to her, so he had always supported that he killed to become stronger.

"Kurogane-sama?"

Kurogane's eyes focused upon the speaker. He was surprised to find himself before the double doors leading to Tomoyo's rooms. The two ninja who guarded them surveyed Kurogane curiously, possibly because he wore no shirt to hide the obvious fact that he was still bandaged.

"Uh... I'd just like a word with the Princess... if she's here, that is," Kurogane said in a strained voice.

"Yes, she is," one of the ninja promptly replied. "She finished with her royal duties only a few minutes ago, and was about to retire for the evening. Would you like me to announce you?"

Kurogane pulled on the cords that tied his cape uneasily. What would be better? To announce himself or to surprise her? He dismissed the latter idea immediately. "You'd... better announce me," he said in the strained voice once again, which was quite unlike his own.

The ninja also noticed that Kurogane seemed a bit flustered and disorientated, but they made no comment. The one who had spoken opened the doors and announced him, then skirted to the side for him to pass.

What in the world—no, in the Universe—had possessed him to go and tell Tomoyo that he loved her? He couldn't! It was not in his place! What would Tomoyo ever see in him? Nothing! He was crazy, mad, out of his mind... he couldn't possibly think that Tomoyo would ever see him as something more than a ninja, no way!

But he had already passed through the doors that closed shut behind him and was being steered toward the balcony, as if some exterior force were egging him on... toward Tomoyo.

———————————————

Sakura looked up at Syaoran and bit her lower lip nervously. Now was the time to ask him that which she was yearning to know. Now that Fay and Mokona were gone. Before, she had assumed a cheery disposition, but now it was time to get things straight. "Syaoran-kun?"

Syaoran looked up from the book he was flipping through. "Yes, Princess?"

Sakura nervously got to her feet. "Why did you lie to me?"

"What?" Syaoran said, baffled.

Sakura took a deep breath. "I asked you once, days ago, if you were all right because I'd noticed that you had been acting strangely in the battle with Souma-san and the rest of the ninja. You told me that you were okay and that nothing was wrong." She regarded him steadily, calculatingly. "But you lied. Kurogane-san mentioned that you being controlled had also happened when we first arrived." Her eyes glistened. "Why? Why did you lie to me?"

"I... I didn't want to worry you, Princess," he told her sincerely, at a loss for words.

"But I asked you once not to hide your pain from me," she reminded him in a small voice. "And I want to worry about you. You're my friend, Syaoran-kun."

Syaoran bowed his head. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I just don't—"

"I know," Sakura interrupted. "You don't like people worrying about you." She sighed heavily. "But we're your friends, Syaoran-kun. It's normal for us to worry about you."

"But this is my problem," he reminded her gently. "I don't want any of you to get involved."

"We're involved whether you like it or not!" she retorted hotly. "And as your friends we're going to help you, no matter what!"

"Even if I end up hurting one of you?" he asked her in barely a whisper, finally voicing his fear.

Sakura looked the other way, flushing slightly in embarrassment of her outburst. So _that_ was what his problem was. She reached for his hand and squeezed him gently. "No matter what," she said firmly. "Together, we can face anything. We'll always be there for you."

Syaoran frowned. Sakura was right. As determined as he and the others were to help Kurogane, such was the determination his friends would show toward him with his own problem. He nodded and tried to smile. "You're right. I shouldn't have kept it from you. I'm sorry."

Sakura smiled back at him. "That's all right," she assured him. "Sometimes, we all feel that we want to protect our friends. But by remaining silent, we usually do more harm than good."

Syaoran privately agreed. Then he realized that Sakura was still holding his hand. "Er..." he said, blushing.

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "What?" Then she also realized that she was still holding his hand. "Oh! Sorry!"

They let go of each other quickly.

"I-It's okay," Syaoran stammered, his face still red.

Sakura continued to blush profusely as she nodded. "I-I'm sorry."

"There's no need to apologize," he said in a strained voice.

They sat for a few moments in silence, still rosy-cheeked.

"Um... Syaoran-kun?" Sakura said after a few moments.

"Y-yes, Princess?"

Sakura drew a deep breath. "Do you regard me as a very good friend?"

"One of the best," Syaoran blurted out before he could stop himself.

Sakura smiled slightly. "I think so, too. I think you're a very close friend of mine." She lowered her gaze. "I'd... I'd like for us to drop the formalities," she said quickly. "I mean, well, we've known each other for over four years, so can I just call you 'Syaoran'? And you can call me 'Sakura', with no 'princesses' or 'himes' attached, okay?"

Syaoran's eyes widened as he recalled a similar situation. When a little Sakura had asked a little Syaoran to drop conventions, as well. His heart seemed to almost skip a beat. Would it interfere with the price? "All right," he finally said in a small voice.

"Good!" Sakura grinned. "Then don't be so formal with me, okay?"

Syaoran smiled faintly. "Okay."

Nothing had happened. This change in addressing each other did not affect the price. Syaoran felt relieved, for he had been worrying that it would. Perhaps... they might actually remain friends when this was all over.

He certainly hoped so.

———————————————

Kurogane nervously pulled back the gossamer curtains leading to the balcony. He saw that Tomoyo was leaning against the railing, her plain, deep-blue robes nearly camouflaging her against the night sky. The moonlight bathed her form in a pale light, its beams shining against her raven hair and bringing out her alabaster face. A silver necklace hung from her neck, nearly reaching her slender waist, a silver crescent moon fastened at the end.

Kurogane caught his breath. "Tomoyo..."

She looked like a forlorn marble statue. Her long ebony hair flowed down her back, curling elegantly at the end, and her violet eyes regarded him seriously. Tomoyo's robes clung to her body, revealing the fact that the slim girl of four years ago had rounded out into symmetry. He had left a girl and had found a young woman who had maintained her previous grace and charm. But she now seemed overly exquisite and ethereal, her serious and petite face like the finest porcelain. His heart ached with her beauty. He was lower than dirt compared to the likes of her.

Tomoyo in turn was awed by Kurogane; his long black cloak covered him wholly, shrouding him in darkness, obscuring his features save for his crimson eyes, which burned like brightly-lit coals. His eyes had always intrigued Tomoyo, for they were an unusual color and always surveyed her with a somewhat penetrating gaze—as if Kurogane's eyes bored into her very soul. But this time his look seemed more hesitant and questioning, but his deep and resonant voice still managed to make her heart leap.

She lowered her eyes and said in barely a whisper, "You haven't called me 'Tomoyo' since..."

"Since before you sent me away," he supplied in a steady voice. "You told me once, long ago, to call you so whenever we were alone." He tentatively took a step toward her.

"Yes... I did," she said quietly.

She recalled the specific memory. It was when he had first claimed the position of Lead Ninja. The Lead Ninja was considered the personal bodyguard of the royal person—even more important than her handmaidens. When not occupied with other duties, the Lead Ninja was obliged to accompany the royal person almost everywhere, and because Tomoyo could not stand being called 'Princess' all the time (and seeing that Kurogane was uneasy with flowery words), she had asked him to forgo the niceties when alone with her. It was better for the both of them, for Tomoyo escaped from conventions and Kurogane could speak as he wished without worrying about the consequences. And a somewhat peculiar friendship had bloomed between them. At least, Tomoyo regarded Kurogane as a friend of hers. She wasn't sure if he was of the same opinion.

"But you're still being formal with me," she pointed out.

Kurogane drew a deep breath. "I have the feeling that a lot has changed between us since we were last together... alone, that is." He took another tentative step toward her.

Tomoyo closed her eyes, trying to calm herself as she gripped at the railing. She knew that he was coming closer, but she was fearful to face him. She had tried her very best to avoid him since he had regained consciousness, for she did not think she could suppress her feelings any longer. There were no more restrictions, and ever since his return, her feelings for him were becoming harder and harder to control. "And what exactly has changed between us?" she asked him in a soft voice.

———————————————

Fay yawned hugely as he lazily made his way through the corridors. He was just nodding off, ready for a good night's sleep. Mokona had already dozed off on his shoulder, and it twitched slightly as it giggled in its sleep.

Fay smiled slowly. Between the hectic events occurring, there were peaceful moments that made the entire journey worthwhile. But Fay could never afford truly calming moments like the others. The fear of being caught was ever-fresh in his awareness. At times, he almost felt safe... but it was only a clever illusion concocted by spending time with his friends.

But Fay was worried, more worried than he thought possible. This whole adventure was turning out very odd. In other worlds, he had never felt the sense that they were being watched. But ever since the mysterious stranger had first controlled Syaoran, Fay had been feeling someone subtly probe the each of them in turn. And he had also sensed Tomoyo being subtly probed by the same force at times, as well, which made him wonder what role she played in this story.

It was odd, for the peculiar force was the same force he had sensed when they were questioning Dai. Then, the force was certainly the One Without Destiny, Fay concluded with a nod. He could now recognize the power-flows, and he would know if it was him when he struck again.

Fay wondered if Syaoran was actually fit for travel. They'd probably have to set off for Semba tomorrow, and Syaoran being controlled again was something that just couldn't be risked. He'd have to keep a watchful eye out for...

Fay froze in his tracks and cursed his stupidity. It was not in his nature to curse, but it was wholly justified in his current situation. Why hadn't he seen it before?! It was obvious that the perfect moment to strike again would be when Syaoran was alone with Sakura!

Fay turned abruptly on his heel and began to dash down the corridors back to Kurogane's room.

Mokona was jolted awake and it asked in a worried voice, "What's wrong?"

Fay did not answer as he continued his mad sprint, but he exclaimed in surprise when something suddenly collided with stunning force into his stomach, winding him. He sank to his knees in pain, drawing ragged breaths.

"Fay!" Mokona exclaimed in fear as it toppled from his shoulder onto the floor with a squeak.

Fay saw a pair of feet stop in front of him, and he felt his head pulled back abruptly as the person gripped his hair, forcing him to look at them.

Fay's eyes widened in shock. Nothing could have prepared him for this.

———————————————

Kurogane drew another deep breath. He felt so nervous and lost. He couldn't find the words to express what he felt. The task seemed so simple, and yet, so difficult... but he had to tell her the truth about how he felt for her.

He took another nervous step toward her and said, "A lot has happened ever since we last saw each other. I guess I should've said something sooner, but..." He sighed heavily. Why was it so hard for him to say three measly little words? Separately, they had no meaning, but when stringed together they conveyed a number of meanings, all depending on the way they were spoken.

Kurogane nervously cleared his throat. "Tomoyo..." This was the hardest thing he had ever faced in his life. But he had to. He just had to say it. He remembered Syaoran's advice, and Sakura's advice, as well. "I've had this feeling for a long time now, and it's only become stronger with the years that have passed." He swallowed and drew a deep breath. "I... I care about you a lot." Damn it! Why couldn't he just say 'I love you'?! "Even... even though nothing can happen between us, I just had to tell you," he added in a rush. Why was he feeling like he was being cut in two? Why?!

Tomoyo wanted to speak, but she could not find the words. Happiness was breaking over her like a wave that it almost frightened her. Her heart was fluttering in her chest and her eyes were misting over. Kurogane felt for her! He cared about her! "And... why can't anything happen between us?" she asked him quietly after a few moments of silence.

Kurogane started slightly. He had not been expecting such a response. "You... you're the Princess. And I'm just a ninja. It's not possible," he said heavily.

Tomoyo's heart began to beat swifter than she thought possible. "That doesn't matter," she whispered.

Kurogane's heart also started to beat rapidly in his chest. It was beating so fast that it was almost painful. Could it be? But...

"But you were going to get married," he mumbled in a voice void of emotions. "That means that you must've felt something for him... or else you wouldn't have accepted his proposal..."

Tomoyo bowed her head. "I thought I did," she said softly. "And I hurt when I found out that it was all a lie. I hurt because he had toyed with me and had used me as a pawn in his plans. I hurt because I had been willing to give up my true happiness for him. Because I thought he loved me, and that it would hurt him if I put a stop to the wedding." Tears began to spill from her eyes, and she drew a shuddering breath. "I hurt terribly... because I had believed him. I hurt because I had been too weak to realize what he truly was and remember what had happened eleven years ago. But," she said suddenly in a strong voice as she looked up at him, "the pain I felt was nothing compared to the pain I felt at the thought of losing you." Her tears trickled down her cheeks. "You... you almost died! Because of me! Because I was too stupid to realize that I was being tricked!" she sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Kurogane!"

Kurogane's heart beat feverishly. "Tomoyo... there's no need to apologize. I'd place myself in danger for you no matter what," he said in a deep voice. "I'd go through it again and again and again. As many times necessary, just to keep you safe." He did not know what came over him as he said these words, but he knew that he meant what he said. He couldn't stand to see her in pain. He narrowed the space between them quickly to stand before her. Subconsciously, he raised his hands to her face and wiped away her tears. He cradled her face in his hands. "Don't cry anymore, Tomoyo. I don't care what happens to me, as long as you're safe."

"But I would die without you," she said in a voice throbbing with emotion. She placed her hands over his own. They were calloused and rough against her soft skin, but she did not mind. She felt a firm sense of protection emanating from him, strengthening her. She had to tell him. She gripped his hands tightly. "You nearly died. And you _would_ have died. But I couldn't let that happen. Not while I had the power to save you."

"What do you mean...?" he asked her slowly.

"I... I used my powers to sustain you for as long as was necessary," she said in a small voice. "Your wounds were fatal... and you had lost a lot of blood." She sniffled as tears poured down her face again, showering their hands. "But I just couldn't let you die..."

Kurogane's eyes widened. So Tomoyo had saved him. She had used her powers to save his life. "But... but I'm not worthy enough for you," he said heavily as his hands dropped down to his sides. He looked away from her. "How can you care so much about a... a murderer?" he asked her bitterly as he clenched his fists. "How can you care for someone who has severed hundreds, perhaps thousands, of lives? To care so much to save me?"

"Because I've seen past all that," Tomoyo told him gravely. "You're not just a murderer. You've killed villains, but that does not make you a villain yourself. You're a brave and loyal person, and you've risked your life for others. Do you think these qualities fit the description of a murderer?"

He gazed deeply into her perfect, deep-violet eyes. He felt as if he were losing himself in them, wrapped up in some sort of sweet fantasy. But this was sweeter, for it was reality. He was deeply in love with her. She was all that he could think about and all that he dreamed about.

"Do you really think so?" he asked her, desperation ringing in his voice. "Am I a good person?"

"You are _not_ evil," Tomoyo stated firmly. "If you were, I would have realized it by now, don't you think so?" She smiled mischievously at him.

Kurogane could not suppress a small smile. Almost shyly, he took her hands in his and held them tenderly. He sighed. "But do I deserve you?" he asked her quietly.

"I think you do," Tomoyo said sincerely as she raised her head expectantly, adoration and longing shining in her eyes.

What Kurogane now wished was to prove to Tomoyo how he truly felt about her. He could not express something so beautiful and so exquisite by using plain speech, so his only way to do this was to show her. But he was inexperienced, as he had never cared for another, and had never dared to make a move before now.

There was no need, however, to feel so, for the way was before him. He bent his head and their lips merged.

It was beyond anything he had ever felt before. He had felt the savage pleasure of battle, and felt the harsh joy of severing lives. But this was entirely different. He felt uplifted and whole; _pure_. His heart seemed to be bursting with emotion. It was out of his experience, and he wished that it would never end.

He was no longer a heartless ninja with a battle-lust. During his journey, he had been changed by his companions, whom he finally regarded as friends; the very best. But even so, compared to what he was feeling now, all had been meaningless, for this was the ultimate change in his life—the crossroad that had presented him with the choice—and he had chosen well, following the right path. The path that led to his heart's innermost desire. He had been empty, and now he was filled.

He acted, moved, thought, breathed, and lived for Tomoyo. He now understood that his unwavering devotion for her, and all that he had done for her, had been leading up to this moment.

Tomoyo in turn felt as if she had been filled with a flaming desire. She had always secretly longed and yearned for this moment. And now that it had come, she felt her soul surge with vast and barely uncontrollable emotions; joy, happiness, longing, desire, lust, passion... her whole being rejoiced in the feelings that beheld her.

She had been ensnared by him from the very first moment they had met eleven years ago. It had been under peculiar circumstances, but she had been amazed at his willingness to protect her. She had tried to mimic his determinedness upon receiving the throne, and she had been overjoyed to find a friend in him when he became Lead Ninja.

And now, no longer friends, but lovers in the night they had become, for they both felt the same for the other, and it was an emotion that no one could fully explain. One of the mysteries of the Universe was the feeling of love. It appeared in many shapes and forms, and was peculiarly shaped by each human being differently, but together, they had managed to fashion it into a common emotion felt acutely by the both of them.

Their lips parted, and Tomoyo clung to him, wrapping her arms around his muscular torso. She looked up into his face and whispered, "I love you."

He gazed deeply into her starry eyes. All barriers had fallen, and he found that he could now speak with ease. There were no more secrets between them, as all had been revealed. His arms about her shoulders tightened, and they just stood there upon the balcony in a locked embrace, savoring each other's presence as the chill, yet light, breeze caressed them.

"I love you, too," he said in a voice full of emotion as they held onto each other.

———————————————

It was impossible. Fay's mind couldn't comprehend it, but he knew that he was not hallucinating.

Above him loomed Kazuo, brandishing a huge club, wearing an expression of utter malice and evil.

Fay was, however, still stunned. Kazuo? Alive? There was definitely foul work at play. _Dark magic_, he suddenly realized with a small frown.

"I see you are somewhat surprised to see me," Kazuo commented in a dry, rasping voice; quite unlike his original voice. "Alive, that is," he sneered as he stepped back from Fay, releasing him.

Fay stood shakily to his feet. "It can't be you," he said in a low voice. "You're just a copy. You're not really Kazuo-san."

Kazuo grinned maliciously. "If only it were so," he said wryly. "But it _is_ me. And just to ease your mind, I'm not alive."

Fay's eyebrows furrowed. "Not alive?" he repeated. "Then you're not dead? Fascinating..."

Kazuo cackled mirthlessly. "Oh, you never lose your sense of humor, Fay." He looked at him queerly. "Or should I say, Lost One?"

Fay's eyes widened slightly before he could stop himself.

"I see you recognized the term," Kazuo said with mock-approval. "But I'm not alive. But then again, I'm not dead either." He grinned evilly. "Confusing, isn't it?"

"Indeed," Fay muttered. "So, what do you want from me?" he asked, raising his voice.

Kazuo arched his eyebrows, as if considering an important matter. "Nothing much," he said as he shrugged indifferently. "Just you dead." He smiled slowly. "And the good news is that you can't kill me because I'm neither alive, nor dead." He smacked his forehead. "Oh, of course, those are good news for me, and bad news for you." He took a step forward, advancing on him.

Fay took a nervous step backward. He was definitely dealing with something supernatural here, and if his senses were not mistaken, the force that had made this possible was the same force behind all of the other magical barriers they had come across. Fay narrowed his eyes. It was indeed Kazuo before him, but he sensed that there was something else, as well. It was the same force—the One Without Destiny.

Fay moistened his lips, speculating. If what Kazuo said was true, then there was no way to stop him. No _normal_ way to stop him. Fay would not use his powers, no matter what. There had to be some way to stop Kazuo without magic. What Fay needed was to find out more—some sort of weakness.

As Kazuo neared, a putrid stench reached Fay's nostrils; that of a decaying corpse. So, Kazuo was indeed dead. But there was no way that the dead could walk again, unless a divinity intervened. But Kazuo wasn't alive either. So how was Fay to defeat something alive and dead at the same time? What was he going to do?

"Any last words?" Kazuo asked him mockingly as he came closer.

In Fay's mind, something seemed to click, but he knew that if he voiced it aloud, it would probably make his situation worse and give the upper hand to the other side. "Mokona," he called the white creature who had nervously watched the exchange between the two, "there's someone with Big Doggy who'll know what to do! Warn them!"

Kazuo screamed with rage as he made for the terrified Mokona, but Fay lunged at him, managing to knock him down.

_"Hurry!"_ was the last word Mokona heard Fay utter before it made a run for it, not daring to look back behind it.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** Hmmm... this chapter turned out really mushy, didn't it? Oh, well, it was about time they finally got together! Tee hee! I'm justified to a little squeeing, aren't I? I wanted it to be perfect. I was so determined to make the confessions as natural as possible that I nearly banged my head against the wall in frustration when it wouldn't turn out the way I fantasized it. You won't believe how many different kinds I wrote! About five different situations! (Gasp! Talk about addicted!) But, finally, I settled on this situation, and I'm very proud of how it turned out. ;)

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	10. Promises

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 10 — Promises**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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Mokona's small feet pattered quickly as it ran as fast as he could toward Tomoyo's quarters. It had to hurry and warn her, for Fay was in desperate need of assistance. Fay's last cry continued to ring in its ears. It couldn't fail now.

But at the pace Mokona was going, it knew with a dread certainty that it would never make it in time. It was a small creature with small legs, after all. For all it knew, Kazuo could have already... It shook his head determinedly and plodded onward. It couldn't afford dark thoughts. It had to get to Tomoyo.

Mokona's concentration was such that it nearly ran into a pair of feet, which had just emerged from a room. "Kyaaa!" It swerved past them the last second, skidding to a stop.

"Mokona?" said the person questioningly. "What's wrong?"

Recognizing Syaoran's voice, Mokona sighed with momentary relief.

Syaoran and Sakura had just emerged into the hallway and were about ready to head to their own rooms for the night. But something about Mokona's expression made fear and dread creep into their hearts. It was clear that something had happened.

"What's happened, Moko-chan?" Sakura asked it anxiously.

"Fay's in danger!" Mokona squeaked. "I have to get Tomoyo!"

Their eyes widened in fear.

"We'll take you," Syaoran said as he stooped and gathered Mokona in his arms. "We'll get there faster." He began to sprint down the corridors, Sakura right by his side.

"What do you mean in danger?" she cried out to Mokona as they sped down the hallways.

"You won't believe this, but Kazuo attacked him!"

_"What?!"_ they both exclaimed as they began to run even faster than before.

"I thought Kazuo-san was dead!" Sakura protested.

"He's not dead and not alive," Mokona explained. "Mokona doesn't know what that means, but Fay seemed really worried and told me to warn Tomoyo quick, before it was too late!"

"We'd better hurry," Syaoran said determinedly as he willed his legs to carry him faster. _What on earth's going on?!_

———————————————

Fay's arms were wound tightly about Kazuo's legs, and he tried to maintain his hold on him while he struggled wildly to free himself. The rotting stench nearly made Fay gag, but he forced his stomach to keep his food inside of him.

Kazuo's arms, however, were still free, and he whirled his club around, trying to hit Fay. Fay was forced to release his hold on Kazuo's legs lest he break his head open with the weapon. He leapt to his feet one split second before Kazuo, and, upon a sudden inspiration, he tried to wrestle the club from him. But Kazuo was not going to be stopped as easily as that. Maintaining a firm grip with one hand on the weapon, he used his other hand, which he formed into a fist, to punch Fay in the face. Fay staggered backward and wiped at his nose with his sleeve, which had begun to bleed heavily.

Kazuo, sensing Fay's weakness at the specific moment, stole the opportunity to swing his club at his head. Fay quickly ducked, and, crouching low, he swung his leg beneath Kazuo, tripping him. Kazuo toppled to the ground, but he grabbed Fay's ankle and pulled him down with him. Fay kicked out viciously, hitting Kazuo in the face.

Fay scrambled to his feet, but his kick didn't seem to slow him down one bit. Kazuo quickly got to his feet and thrust the club into Fay's stomach, throwing him down onto his back. Fay was momentarily dazed and winded as he gasped for breath. Kazuo then brought down his club with such force, that if Fay hadn't rolled out of the way in time, his chest would have surely been crushed.

Fay pinched at his dribbling nose, trying to stem the blood-flow, as he shot a cursory glance at the area where he had just been a few seconds ago. He saw that the floor-tiles had a deep crack in them. It was obvious that Kazuo didn't simply want to stun him; he was determined to thoroughly dispose of him!

———————————————

Kurogane pressed his face against the top of Tomoyo's head, breathing in the exotic scent of her hair deeply. It was a faint and pleasant aroma, though he couldn't exactly recall what it reminded him of. And yet, this closeness he and Tomoyo were sharing had a peculiar calming effect on him, and he felt that nothing could spoil it.

Tomoyo sighed as she laid her head against his chest gently, so as to not hurt him; he hadn't completely healed yet. Her arms around Kurogane's torso tightened. The sure and steady beating of his heart vibrating against her thrilled her.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," she whispered after a few moments.

"Yeah..." Kurogane agreed. He gently pulled back her long ebony tresses, which had been covering the better part of her shoulders, and gazed deeply into her eyes. He caressed her face lovingly. "You're so beautiful," he remarked quietly.

Tomoyo blushed slightly. "Compared to what?" she asked him breathlessly, her face very close to his.

Kurogane's eyes rose to the sky as he felt something cold and damp fall upon his head. Petite and fragile snowflakes had begun to fall. He continued to survey the night sky, his thoughts traveling as the whiteness continued to drift downward. "I could say... that you're as delicate and fair as the snow... but there's nothing in the Universe quite like you," he finally said. "You're unique."

"For a moment there I thought you were going to compare me to a baby or something," she said in and icy tone. "Delicate and fair, am I? I'm a grown woman! Surely you've realized that."

Kurogane stepped back from her and eyed her up and down slowly and deliberately, causing her to blush rosily. "It's pretty obvious," he agreed with a small smile.

Tomoyo punched him playfully in the shoulder. "You arrogant rogue," she said archly. "You're positively enjoying the fact that I'm yours for the taking, aren't you?"

Kurogane brushed his lips against her ear. "You know, I think I am," he whispered, causing shivers to run down her spine. He kissed her lips deeply. His one hand cupped the nape of her neck while the other slid down her to rest against her small waist. Then, by wrapping his arm about her, he pulled her to him; she complied, her fingers running through his hair. Their kiss intensified.

Kurogane realized at that point that he was clashing somewhat with his beliefs; that romance was sappy and made even the most sensible people act like fools... but he honestly didn't give a damn anymore. To hell with his previous beliefs—love wasn't that bad. Especially now that he was with Tomoyo.

But their joy was not to last, for they heard the characteristic opening of a door. They broke apart from each other quickly, Kurogane's face turning beet-red with embarrassment and Tomoyo blushing a deep scarlet as she began to smooth her robes nervously.

The two ninja entered the sitting room, closely followed by Sakura, Syaoran and Mokona. Tomoyo and Kurogane came inside from the balcony.

"Yes?" Tomoyo asked them curtly as she subconsciously patted her hair.

"We're sorry to interrupt your discussion, Princess, but they say they've got something of grave importance to tell you," one of them said in a straight voice; the only signs of surprise she showed was the arching of her eyebrows upon seeing their flustered appearances.

Tomoyo cleared her throat. "What is it?"

"Fay was attacked by Kazuo!" Mokona piped up from Syaoran's arms.

_"What?!"_ Kurogane exclaimed. "But isn't he dead? How the hell's this possible?"

Mokona shook its head furiously. "He's not dead and he's not alive! Mokona doesn't know what it means, but Fay told me to get Tomoyo and tell her because she'd know what to do! And he told me to hurry!"

Tomoyo's flushed face drained of all color and stood out starkly white in the dark room. She turned to Mokona. "Take me quickly to them."

———————————————

Kazuo lunged at Fay once more, but Fay jumped nimbly out of the way. His eyes scanned the hall in search of something to aid him. He spied two ornamental spears hanging on the wall. He grabbed one of them and lifted it up in front of him just as Kazuo leapt at him again. The weapon buried itself deep into Kazuo's chest; he had accidentally impaled himself on Fay's spear when he had lunged at him.

Kazuo froze for a moment, surprise evident on his face, but then he smiled cruelly. "I cannot be killed, fool." Then his eyes rolled into his head, revealing only the whites of his eyes, as if emphasizing the impossibility. His lips curled. "There's no way you can stop me!"

Fay started in fear. Even with a spear protruding from his chest, he hadn't been able to immobilize Kazuo. He backed away from him, his mind working feverishly. How could he stop him? Mundane weapons were no use whatsoever.

Kazuo grasped the spear and pulled it out with a nasty squelching sound. His face lit up suddenly. He hefted the spear over his head and threw it with stunning force at Fay. Fay swerved abruptly to the left to avoid contact with the blow and turned toward Kazuo again. But he had not seen that Kazuo had grabbed the other spear.

Pain erupted in Fay's right side as Kazuo slashed at him with the second spear. It hadn't gotten him deeply, but it was deep enough to be more than uncomfortable. A crimson stain began to spread rapidly, standing out against his white kimono. Fay clutched at his side as he ducked another blow Kazuo tried to deliver with his club.

Fay narrowed his eyes. He had to fight back; all he was doing was avoiding Kazuo. He had to, he just had to. Fay elbowed Kazuo in the stomach and knocked him over.

Memories of fighting in Celes returned to him. Fay took a deep breath, and, grabbing the first spear, he lashed out at Kazuo. Kazuo blocked the blow with the other spear, abandoning his club as it only got in his way, and retreated slightly, startled at Fay's sudden display of power. Fay continued to whip out at Kazuo, forcing the latter to back up with each blow he delivered. The weapons clunked dully against each other as the blows were countered with lightning speed.

Fay winced at his wound, but he ignored it; as he had learned in Celes, pain could also be used as a motive to attack. He channeled his pain into strength—concentration was the key—and continued to parry with Kazuo.

Kazuo frowned darkly. He had thought Fay to be a weakling, but this was certainly not the case anymore. The time had come for drastic measures. He flicked his wrist, forcing Fay's spear away from him, and, jumping slightly, he dealt him a high kick, his right foot getting Fay in the head. Fay stepped back a pace, then, as Kazuo kicked out again, Fay stopped the blow by grabbing his ankle in a firm grip. He forced it away and kicked Kazuo in the chin in turn, throwing him to the ground.

Kazuo jumped to his feet and ran at Fay with the spear, and they began to parry once more. How Kazuo could see where he was going with those pupil-less eyes was beyond Fay, but he had other things to worry about. Despite the lessons he was applying, he was growing tired with the strain and tension of their battle, and it looked as if Kazuo was only growing stronger with each passing minute in contrast.

"I'll kill you sooner or later," Kazuo grinned maliciously, as if sensing that Fay was tiring. "There's no escape." He then whipped out at Fay's legs with the spear, tripping him. He loomed above him, raising the weapon above his head, cackling. "You're mine now! Just like Kurogane!"

Fay arched his body and kicked up at Kazuo's stomach, causing him to stumble backward with the force. Fay found the opportunity to get to his feet again. "What do you want with us?" he demanded as he circled him warily, wiping at his bloody nose with one sleeve.

Kazuo gripped the spear in his hands tightly, surveying Fay closely. "I want you all dead. It's as simple as that," he snarled. "I was going to save Kurogane for last, but now that I think about it, things turned out for the better. He would've probably been in the way while I tried to get rid of the rest of you. Shame. If it wasn't for his abnormality, he—"

But his words were cut off with a startled cry when he was suddenly raised in the air; Tomoyo and the others had finally arrived. She narrowed her eyes and swept her arm horizontally, sending Kazuo hurtling against the wall with her magic. He hit the wall with a sickening crunch and sagged to the floor in a heap.

Fay felt so relieved that he was positively giddy. "Hi, guys!" he greeted Sakura, Syaoran, Mokona, Tomoyo and Kurogane cheerfully. "Not a moment too soon! You were missing out on all the—!"

"Fay-san!" Sakura suddenly exclaimed. "You're hurt!"

"What? My nose?" Fay asked innocently. "I don't think it's broken. All he did was punch me in the face—"

"No, your side!" Mokona squeaked, pointing at Fay's right, where the blood had seeped through the cloth and was trickling downward steadily, dripping onto the floor.

"Oh, that? It's nothing..." He placed his hand over it carefully and tried to hide it by turning the other way. " It's just a tiny scrape..."

"So, you're all here," Kazuo sneered as he struggled to get to his feet, gripping his club tightly.

Sakura choked back a scream and clutched Syaoran's arm in horror.

When Kazuo had made contact with the wall, the sound they had heard with the collision had been his neck snapping. Kazuo's head was limp and drooped upon his shoulder, but to their surprise, the broken neck mended with a mere twitch, and his head flipped upright once more. He regarded the group before him with a sneer. "This makes my job all the more easier."

Tomoyo's eyes flashed as she raised her hands in the air. With a face contorted in concentration, she hurled a massive orb of magic at Kazuo and encased him in a magical dome, which glowed with a pale-green light.

Kazuo's jaw dropped open. "Shit!" he exclaimed as he started to batter his club repeatedly against the magic walls encasing him in his green prison. "Damn you, you witch! You can't keep me in here forever!"

Kurogane clenched his fists and ground his teeth together, trying to hold his anger in check. "Don't you dare call her that again, you bastard," he hissed menacingly.

Kazuo's sightless eyes widened. "You!" he gasped as he pointed a shaking finger at Kurogane, dropping his club with a clatter. "You're supposed to be dead!" he spluttered. "I saw it! I did it! Those wounds were fatal!"

"Well, looks like I'm not," Kurogane growled coldly as he crossed his arms and regarded Kazuo threateningly.

Kazuo took a deep breath. "No matter. I'll get you all." He continued to pound his fists against the dome. "No!" He staggered suddenly, clapping his hands over his ears. "I can do it myself!" he screamed. His face twitched horribly.

"What's going on?" Sakura asked fearfully as her grip on Syaoran's forearm tightened.

"It is Kazuo-san, but..." started Tomoyo in a frail-sounding voice as she swayed dangerously.

"Tomoyo!" Kurogane gasped, moving to her side to catch her before she fell.

"I'm fine," she murmured, her hand to her forehead. "The spell demanded more strength than I anticipated." She grasped Kurogane's forearms to steady herself, then surveyed the thrashing Kazuo in her green dome of sorcery. "That _is_ Kazuo-san," she confirmed in a grave voice, "but he is not alone."

Fay nodded. "The One Without Destiny is there, too." He abandoned his flighty manner as he regarded Kazuo seriously.

"You mean the One Without Destiny is sharing his body?" Syaoran demanded.

"Exactly," Fay said bleakly.

Kazuo's body began to shake. It convulsed in huge spasms as he trembled from head to foot. Sweat stood out on his face. "You promised!" he cried out shrilly, desperately. He flinched once more, then shuddered violently, his eyes glazing over as he remained immobile.

Tomoyo stiffened. "Kazuo-san is no longer with us," she said heavily. "The One Without Destiny has taken complete control over him. He is lost."

Kazuo lifted his head, and they saw that his eyes flickered and turned dark, like small glittering black stones. _"The fool honestly thought that he could kill you all at once,"_ he hissed in a rasping voice. _"I had no need of him anymore."_

"So you consumed Kazuo-san's soul," Tomoyo accused.

_"That was the agreement,"_ he stated. _"He was disobeying my orders, anyhow. He preferred to play around with his victim instead of killing him and getting it over with."_

A long pause followed his words.

"What do you want?" Tomoyo demanded.

_"All in good time,"_ he said in a deadly voice. _"My purpose tonight has been thwarted... but I benefited from our meeting, as well."_ He chuckled, the laughter sounding hollow and empty to their ears, and looked at them with a strange glint in his black eyes. _"Come if you dare, Fellowship of the Beloved One. The memory fragment awaits."_ Then, with a rattling sigh, a darkness wafted out of Kazuo's body and seeped through the green walls, as if the walls were insubstantial.

Tomoyo raised her arms, prepared to use her magic to trap it, but to her surprise, and to the surprise of the others, the darkness dissolved into nothingness, as if it had never been there.

Kazuo's body shuddered and toppled forward. It moved no more.

"Okaaay..." Fay said in a small voice. "I'm severely creeped out now." He turned to the others, wearing a shaky smile. "What do we—?" He suddenly drew in his breath sharply and turned pale, clutching at his side in pain.

Kurogane eyed him critically, scowling disapprovingly. "You look like hell."

Fay giggled nervously. "For once, I think I'm going to have to agree with you. I feel worse for wear."

———————————————

"Hey! That hurts! What're you trying to do, scrape my skin off?!" Fay exclaimed as he backed into the wall, swallowing hard.

"If I don't clean your wound, it'll get infected," Kurogane muttered sourly. "Now hold still—"

_"ITAI!"_

Sakura and Mokona tried to suppress their giggles. Syaoran sighed heavily, one hand supporting his forehead. Fay's complaining was grating on his ears... and nerves.

Syaoran wasn't the only one more than a little irritated by their bickering. "Fay-kun, please don't shout like that," Tomoyo chided him when she finished telling some ninja to take care of Kazuo's body, closing the door behind her. "Kurogane's only trying to help you."

"If helping me means skinning me alive, then I don't want his help," Fay grumbled.

The six of them had gone to Kurogane's room (where he had been spending the last two weeks recuperating) and he was trying to clean Fay's wound, but to no avail would the latter submit to the ninja's attempts to tend to him.

"If I don't clean it, it'll fester," Kurogane hissed in a level voice, trying very hard to resist the strong urge to strangle him.

"But you're hurting me," he whined. "You're not being at all gentle. I have very tender skin that should be treated with the utmost care!"

Kurogane rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "Why do I even put up with you? You're acting like a spoiled brat! It's not even that deep a wound!"

"Fay-kun," Tomoyo said, turning to the blond mage. "Kurogane knows something more than the average warrior about how to tend to wounds. He's had a number of them himself over the years. Don't you think that with so much experience he knows what he's doing?"

"He might be using it as an excuse to finally get rid of me," he muttered thoughtfully under his breath.

"I heard that!" Kurogane snapped angrily. "Damn me if I ever offer you my help again!"

Fay giggled nervously, sweat-dropping. "I was just kidding!" He exhaled wearily. "You're right. I'm acting immaturely." He gritted his teeth. "Fine, go ahead. Just be quick about it, please," he said in a submissive tone.

Kurogane muttered something about flighty personalities before stooping over Fay. He fingered the pale skin about the wound carefully. Fay immediately tensed.

Kurogane arched his eyebrows in confusion. "I didn't do anything yet."

Fay grinned sheepishly. "My mistake. I thought you did. I guess it was just your cold fingers tickling me."

Kurogane snorted derisively and shook his head with a _tsk_. After he inspected the wound for a few moments, he pulled out a small boot knife. "The blood's started clotting," he muttered to himself. He looked up at Fay. "If the wound's not cleaned and allowed to bleed, it won't heal."

Fay sighed. "You have to open it again," he stated in a resigned tone. He tensed himself, and didn't relax his muscles as the cool steel penetrated him. He drew in his breath with a hiss, but withheld the cry that was upon his lips.

Kurogane's brow creased. The wound wasn't deep, but it was more serious than he had expected. He carefully cut away the dried blood and kneaded the skin around it, encouraging it to start bleeding again.

Fay grunted behind his clenched teeth and screwed his eyes shut with pain.

Sakura winced slightly and shuddered. It looked like it hurt a lot.

After a couple of minutes, Kurogane straightened and laid his bloody knife upon a small table. He cleaned his hands and dipped a clean cloth in a basin of heated water with healing herbs. He turned back to Fay and proceeded to clean his wound. "These herbs grow almost everywhere in Nihon," he explained. "When boiled, their properties allow wounds to heal faster. They also kill germs and prevent infections when applied in time." When he finished, he took a small needle and some thread from the table. "I know I said it wasn't too deep, but it'll need stitching all the same."

Fay huffed. A stray tuft of blond hair fluttered up from in front of his eyes, but fell forward again. "I haven't needed stitches since..." He faltered. "Since before I left my country," he mumbled quietly. He said nothing more as Kurogane proceeded about the grim task of sewing up his gash.

Kurogane set aside the needle and thread when he finished and _humphed_, satisfied with his work as he bandaged Fay's torso with strips of white cloth. "There you go. _Finally._ Just don't make any sudden movements or you'll hurt like hell and ruin the stitches. And I'm warning you that I'm not in the mood to sew you up again what with your complaining before." He stood up, cleaned his hands free of Fay's sticky blood, and regarded his knife critically.

Fay found that he didn't hurt as much as before. He actually felt better. "Thank you, Kuro-sama." He adjusted his kimono. "I guess I _was_ acting a little childish, wasn't I?" he asked them.

Sakura smiled. "That's all right, Fay-san. We all get worked up sometimes."

Fay grinned. "Not Kuro-min. He always keeps his head in a crisis." His statement was somewhat in the nature of an apology for being difficult before.

Kurogane sniffed. "What d'you think I am? Immune? Nobody's perfect," he grumbled as he began to clean his small knife.

Kurogane's statement made Fay frown as he remembered Kazuo's words. "_Do_ you have something different compared to others?" he asked him curiously.

"What?" he asked him, baffled. "What the hell're you talking about?"

"Well, Kazuo-san said something strange about you. He said that if it wasn't for your abnormality, you would've... I dunno, he never finished his sentence because you guys showed up then."

Kurogane arched his eyebrows as he sheathed his knife and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "Abnormality?"

"That was his exact word."

"What else did he say?" Syaoran asked him curiously.

"Whatever you guys heard, too. We were too busy fighting most of the time to chat."

Sakura scratched Mokona's ears absent-mindedly as she looked up timidly. "Um... how is it possible that Kazuo-san returned? I thought dead people couldn't come back to life."

"He did not return," Tomoyo said quietly. "The One Without Destiny used his dark magic to make it _appear_ as if Kazuo-san he had returned. Kazuo-san's spirit had infused his rotting corpse, but he was not alive, and since his body was already dead, he could not be killed. The One Without Destiny used him to get to us, but Kazuo-san failed. When the One Without Destiny had no more need of him, he removed his spell and took Kazuo-san's soul as payment."

A few moments passed in silence, each contemplating the situation in a different way.

Syaoran suddenly stood to his feet. "We have to leave for Semba tomorrow," he said. "We have to get to Solar Tower."

"Solar Tower?" Tomoyo asked him surprised.

Syaoran explained what the others had discovered in the box the King of Semba had sent them and the cryptic message hidden in the amulet. "And the One Without Destiny said it himself just now," he concluded. "He has the memory fragment."

"But it could be a trap," Kurogane growled in a low voice.

"We'll have to take that chance," Syaoran said determinedly.

Tomoyo nodded in understanding. "I see..." She got up and looked out the window at the night sky. "The full moon is in nine days. But I'm afraid you won't make it in time."

"Why?" asked Sakura.

"Because it's started snowing heavily." She pulled back the curtains to show them.

And sure enough, everything was covered by a thick blanket of white powder, and snowflakes were still falling, the icy wind making them swirl about in the darkness.

"And how far is it to Solar Tower?" Mokona piped up.

"It's at least five days to reach Sembia," Tomoyo told them, "and that's in pleasant weather. Then, from Sembia to Solar Tower, it's around three days. Again, without the threat of snowstorms."

"Can't we do something to help us get there in time? Can't we stop the storm?" Sakura wondered. "With magic?"

"Oh, no," Fay chuckled. "We can't tamper with the weather. It's too risky. Nature is something we shouldn't play with at all. There'll be all sorts of side-effects if we use our magic to stop the weather. We may stop a snowstorm where we are, but create torrential rain in another part of this world. Nope, it's best to leave the weather alone."

"Fay-kun's right," Tomoyo agreed. "Nature shouldn't be experimented with. Not without years of extensive study."

"And then again, it'd probably take at least a thousand years to know enough about how to properly tamper with the weather," Fay added humorously.

"It's still a risky process," Tomoyo disagreed.

Sakura sweat-dropped. _Who knew magic could be so complicated?_ she thought wearily. "But how're we going to get there in time?"

Syaoran was thinking along the same lines. His eyebrows creased as he clenched his fists determinedly. _No matter what, I'm going to get Sakura's feather back_. But his thoughts were bleak. How will they be on time for the meeting?

Fay looked up at the ceiling in thought. "If we travel speedily enough, we _might_ get there just in the nick of time. Hopefully, the weather'll let up. But we won't be able to search the tavern in Sembia for more clues on the One Without Destiny if we do it that way."

Sakura sighed. "If we knew more about him, we'd be more prepared to face him. All we can say for sure is that he's got incredible power, right?"

"That, and the fact that he wants us dead for some reason," Syaoran muttered darkly.

"Not to mention he's got Sakura-chan's feather," Fay added. "That might be what's making him so strong."

Kurogane frowned. He knew of a shortcut that could save them days. He had discovered it years ago during his travels. But would they accept his help? He honestly wanted to help his friends at least one more time. Especially since it was pretty obvious that the One Without Destiny _wanted_ them to go to the Tower for the meeting. The One Without Destiny _knew_ that they would come for the feather and was goading them. It was definitely a trap.

Kurogane knew that he couldn't just sit by idly and let the events unfold. He had to do something. He had definitely changed over the years. He never remembered being so willing to help others.

He cleared his throat gruffly. "Actually... I know of a faster way to get to Sembia and Solar Tower," he offered in a casual tone. "Other than by the Highway, I mean."

The others regarded him curiously.

Kurogane pulled on the straps of his cape nervously. "In total, it'll take us three days to get to Sembia, and then about two days from there to Solar Tower. That'll leave us plenty of time to search Sembia and the tavern for any clues, and we might even be able to snoop around the Tower, too." He shrugged. "The weather might get worse and stall us a day or two, but we'll still have time on our hands to spare."

Syaoran's face brightened up hopefully. "You'll lead us, then?"

Kurogane's eyes flitted to Tomoyo. "I'd like to help... at least one last time... before..."

Tomoyo nodded knowingly, then sighed. "I pretty much surmised that you would want to help them. They've dawdled too long in Shirasagi, anyway. I suspect that they were also reluctant to leave you." She smiled mysteriously. "It is rare for a friendship to be so strong."

"Oh, thank you so much, Kurogane-san!" Sakura exclaimed happily as she sprang to her feet and hugged him tightly. "You have no idea how much this means to me! You've helped us out so much already... I wish there was some way I could repay you!"

Kurogane stiffened, feeling very flustered at Sakura's sudden outburst. "There's no need for you to repay me," he said as she let go of him. He patted her shoulder. "Just make sure you kick that Fei Wang guy's ass for me when you meet him in the end."

Fay snickered. "You can count on that, Kuro-chuu!" he winked.

Kurogane turned to Tomoyo. "You don't mind, do you?" he asked her nervously. "I mean..." He groped for words. "Well, it'll only be around two weeks..."

Tomoyo laughed gaily. "Oh, Kurogane, there's no need for you to feel so flummoxed." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Feel better?" she asked slyly.

Kurogane was even more nonplussed at Tomoyo's playful display of her affection for him in front of the others, who were trying (in vain) to suppress large grins.

Tomoyo chuckled at Kurogane's expression. "There's no need for you to feel so embarrassed. It's best we let it all out in the open." She surveyed the others with an arch look. "You knew, didn't you?" she accused. "You knew how Kurogane felt about me."

Mokona and Fay sniggered heartily, "Ufufufufu!"

"It _was_ pretty obvious," Syaoran admitted truthfully.

Sakura nodded in agreement. "And you feel the same for him, too," she smiled at her.

Tomoyo giggled. "Yes, I do." She kissed Kurogane lightly again. "To answer your question," she told him, "I don't mind that you'll be absent for a couple of weeks. I find it noble and honorable on your behalf that you want to help your friends. I'm very proud of you."

She gently withdrew her arms from about him and turned to the others. "The time is late. I suggest that you all get a good night's sleep since you'll set off for Semba tomorrow." She sighed. "I wish I could be of more help to you, but I have many responsibilities that hold me here. The most I can do is provide you with mounts and provisions."

"Really, that's more than enough, Princess Tomoyo," Syaoran told her gratefully as he bowed. "I just hope you're not unhappy with us. It seems that bad luck's following us wherever we go."

Tomoyo shook her head in the negative. "I was involved in this from the very beginning. There were bound to be drawbacks. Take the Prophecy with you," she told Syaoran. "It may come in useful. I am no longer its Guardian. The task has now been appointed to you."

Syaoran opened his mouth to question her, but she cut him off with a small smile saying, "Yuuko-san appeared before me a few days ago again and told me that you are to keep the Prophecy. You are to study it and try to puzzle out its mysteries. Especially whatever concerns your meeting with Fei Wang Reed, and whatever you can find out on the One Without Destiny before confronting him."

Syaoran clenched his fist determinedly and nodded. "I'll try my best." He sweat-dropped. "But it's really confusing at times..."

Tomoyo chuckled. "I know," she sympathized with him. "You have no idea how many headaches I've had from it."

She bit her lower lip as she regarded them seriously. "Promise me you'll all be cautious. I have an ill feeling about this journey. Hopefully, with Kurogane accompanying you you'll be relatively safer, but..." She drew a deep breath. "I can't help but still feel somewhat uneasy."

"Don't worry, Tomoyo-hime," Sakura told her. "We'll be careful." She bowed. "Thank you very much for all your help. I do hope we'll be able to see each other again someday."

Tomoyo smiled warmly at her. "We'll say our goodbyes tomorrow morning. For now, we say goodnight."

They each bid her goodnight and headed for the door, ready for sleep. A lot had happened, and Kazuo's attack had made it all too clear that they had to get a move on first thing tomorrow.

They filed out of Kurogane's room, but Tomoyo remained behind, a worried look in her eyes.

Kurogane raised an eyebrow, wondering what was troubling her. She seemed very uneasy about something. He was somewhat taken aback when she suddenly croaked in a strangled voice, "Oh, Kurogane!" and fell into his arms, trembling.

A feeling of alarm welled inside of him. "Tomoyo? What's wrong?"

She did not answer at first. "Promise me you'll be careful." She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "I feel that something terrible will happen. I just _know_ something will!" she sobbed.

Kurogane stroked her dark hair as he held her quivering form in his arms. "I promise I'll be extra-careful. There's no need to worry," he assured her.

"It would kill me if anything happened to you," she gasped as she wiped her tears away.

"Shh," he hushed her as he smoothed her hair. "I'll be back before you know it." He smiled at her slowly; the smiles he reserved only for her. "It's becoming a habit. You crying. You didn't used to cry so often."

She sniffled. "I suppose so," she admitted. "It looks like I've fallen into a pretty gloomy mood lately."

Kurogane lifted her chin with his forefinger. "Then let me cheer you up," he whispered lasciviously. He kissed her slowly and relished the taste of the salty tears upon her lips. It was a fairly serious and lingering kiss.

What Tomoyo loved about him the most was that he was so gentle with her. He was not forceful, and he went about his kisses slowly and tenderly, aware that he might hurt her because of his strength. He was reputed to be the strongest ninja in Nihon, after all, and he had broken down walls with his mere fists at times. Tomoyo liked that he was concerned about her, but she wouldn't mind some roughness on his part now and then.

Her kiss deepened, making his breath catch in his throat. Her lips never left his and the taste of her mouth was making him have some improper thoughts. But he held himself back. Their lips parted slowly, and he wrapped her in his arms and buried his face in her hair, breathing in the calming fragrance. Oh, how he loved his lily-white princess! He would never dare to hurt her in any way.

"I know you're set on going, and that you won't change your mind," Tomoyo said in a small voice as her arms about his shoulders tightened. "But it will be dangerous. The One Without Destiny has great power."

"I understand. I've faced tons of dangers already, though. I think I can handle whatever comes up," he said confidently. He was not boasting, and they both knew that very well. "I'll return," he promised. He felt his chest bursting with heat and emotion. He held her face. "Nothing can keep me from you."

"If you don't, I'll come after you," she told him determinedly.

He grinned and nuzzled his nose against hers. "I'd like to see you try," he teased.

"You doubt it?"

Kurogane frowned. "You can probably use your magic or something, right?"

"I could teleport myself," she suggested as she pursed her lips in thought. "Using a method of translocation. All I'd have to do is form your picture in my mind and will myself to you." She took on a winsome and mischievous expression. "No matter where you were or what you were doing, I'd find myself at your side immediately."

"You can do that?" he asked her, startled.

"Yes... but the longer the distance, the more draining it will be."

He realized with a sinking feeling in the pits of his stomach just how inferior he was compared to her. She had great magic powers and all he could do was swing a sword.

"Kurogane," she murmured.

"What?"

"I just wanted to say your name." She studied his face. "Kurogane." She bit her lower lip. No, she would not cry again. She gripped his hands and looked up at him, drawing a deep breath. His smoldering ruby-red eyes regarded her questioningly, urging her to share what was troubling her with him. "You mean everything to me, so you'd better take care of yourself," she warned him as her eyes misted over.

"I will."

She hugged him fiercely, tears pouring down her cheeks. She needed his reassuring presence in her life. She would be lost without him. She tried to force bleak thoughts out of her mind. She knew he was strong and resourceful. He would be all right.

After several moments, she wordlessly released her hold upon him. She turned to the door and let herself out of his room, but not without shooting him a last look, her violet eyes still mirroring her worry. She slowly closed the door behind her with a soft _click_.

Kurogane let out his breath explosively. He fell back onto his sleeping pallet with a heavy _thud_ and rubbed his face wearily. His eyes itched with exhaustion and his body screamed at him to get some sleep. But his mind would not relent so easily. So much had happened that day; Syaoran had been controlled, Kazuo had attacked Fay, and barely two hours had passed since he had confessed his love to Tomoyo.

A foolish grin spread across his face as he remembered the feel of her in his arms. He had felt an irresistible urge to protect her—she seemed so small and frail at times. But he knew better. The thought of something to compare her to came to him then. She was like a white rose. Beautiful and fragile-looking, yet capable of defending itself as it had prickly thorns.

He moistened his lips and sighed deeply. He could still taste her.

Kurogane groaned and smacked his forehead. _Oh hell_, he thought, _I've completely flipped._ He sniffed. _Okay, right now, you have to get to sleep_, he told himself firmly._ The sooner I finish with this One Without Destiny crap, the sooner I'll be with Tomoyo._

He pulled the blanket over his head and tried to go to sleep. But sleep did not claim him without a struggle, for, he did not know why, a dark sense of foreboding had begun to creep over him. He couldn't shake off the feeling of dread even in his dreams, as it seemed to enfold him in an inescapable grasp, whispering his name hauntingly, repeatedly.

A voice he felt he was supposed to recognize, but couldn't.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** Yes, I think CLAMP has stuck with me with the whole no-one-can-come-back-to-life combo, which I find very reasonable and plausible. It was one of the reasons I was so angry with BeeTrain. (CLAMP must've complained about it, too, since BeeTrain 'corrected' it in another episode, saying that it was only a temporary situation. Bleh, stupid BeeTrain.) Ahem, whatever. That was the only thing I wanted to say here.

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	11. Departure

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 11 — Departure**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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The morning was crisp and chill, as it had snowed for the better part of the night. Kurogane stood in the clearing before the castle's large entrance, his breath steaming in the cold air. His eyes rose to the sky and he shaded his eyes, protecting them from the sun's blinding glare. It would probably start snowing again tomorrow, sometime toward noon, he judged. He wrapped his cloak about him tighter to ward off the biting wind.

"I hope you'll reconsider this," Souma said as she trudged toward him, her boots crunching in the snow, leading three horses behind her. "I mean... you don't _have_ to, you know."

Kurogane tied his pack to the saddle of the nearest one. The mount snorted and pawed its hoof in the snow, impatient to get going. That was pretty much how Kurogane was feeling, too. He patted the horse's flank reassuringly and the animal calmed. "I've already made my mind up," he said shortly.

She smirked. "You're as stubborn as a mule."

"What?" he growled dangerously.

"Well, you are," Souma said defensively. "Once you get something through that thick skull of yours, nothing changes your mind."

Kurogane fixed her with a glare. "This is hardly the time and place for jokes, Souma," he told her.

Souma shrugged and sighed. "You're right." She winked. "But I was telling the truth."

Kurogane muttered something unsavory under his breath.

Souma crossed her arms and _tsked_ at his language. "Looks like I'm not welcome here," she muttered in a steely voice as she turned on her heel, trying to make her way through the snow as gracefully as possible.

Kurogane shook his head and inspected the horses' hooves. He had not slept well and he was in a very uncharitable mood. The sense of unease that had haunted him last night had followed him in his dreams. He had been urgently searching for something as he sped through dark tunnels, and had also been running from something, although he never found out what he had been seeking and what he had been fleeing from. He was feeling thoroughly irritated about it.

"Hey—!"

Kurogane turned at the voice. Fay was making his way through the snowdrift toward him. He was back in his warm winter clothing, his hood pulled back, and his eyes shone with excitement. "Hi, Kuro-pippi!" he greeted him with a cheery wave, his breath puffing out in small clouds. "And here I thought I'd be the first one here. You beat me again."

Kurogane rolled his eyes. "Quit it with those damn names," he grumbled.

"Touchy," Fay commented on the ninja's disposition with a small smile. "Is it because of the argument?"

Kurogane said nothing on the subject as he glared at him vehemently. "Where're the others?" he asked sourly.

"Sakura-chan, Syaoran-kun and Mokona are on their way." Fay closed one eye and formed one of his kittenish smiles. "You seem excessively cranky today. Care to share what's troubling you?"

"Nothing," he muttered as he turned to one of the horses, checking on the bridle and adjusting it slightly.

Fay arched an eyebrow. "You're lying," he told him frankly. "Come on, what's bugging you? It can't be because of your shouting match with your sister previously."

Kurogane crossed his arms and kicked lightly at some snow. "Just... I dunno... I'm feeling a bit uneasy, that's all," he muttered.

"As if something terrible's about to happen?" Fay asked.

Kurogane looked up, surprised. "Yeah."

"Me, too," Fay said with a nervous smile. His eyes fell upon the horses. "So it's a horse for you, a horse for me, and a horse for Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun?"

"I guess." Kurogane frowned at the wizard suddenly. "How's your side?"

"How nice of you to ask!" Fay grinned as he airily waved his hand. "It doesn't hurt in the slightest! Have you ever considered being a healer yourself? You most probably have the healing touch!"

Kurogane sniffed, ignoring Fay's blether, and put his hand to his chin in thought. "It might open when we're riding..." he mused.

"I never thought of that," he admitted. "I guess I'll have to be really careful, huh?"

"You bet your ass you're gonna," Kurogane growled. "'Cause I'm not gonna sew you up again."

Fay sighed. "So thoughtful, yet so ribald," he commented lightly. He plodded on, ignoring Kurogane's glare, saying, "So where do you plan to lead us?"

"Along my paths," Kurogane grunted. "Souma suggested that I take a small force of ninja with us, but that wouldn't work out well. Where we're going we're gonna need stealth, and a large number of us would only hinder our movements." He checked the girth and the stirrups before straightening and turning to him. "Which horse d'you want?"

"Does it matter?" Fay asked, grinning.

Kurogane regarded him with a flat gaze. "It does. I need to adjust the stirrups for your legs."

"Hmm..." he mused thoughtfully.

Fay made quite a show of choosing between the two remaining horses. He put his finger to his chin. He scratched his head. He then joined his hands together and started twiddling his thumbs. After about a minute of this, Kurogane found himself wondering why he even made these futile attempts to speak to Fay in a civilized manner. It was glaringly obvious that he would never grow up.

"Well?" Kurogane snapped. "Which horse?"

Fay grinned. "This one." He patted one of the horses fondly. The horse nuzzled him and nipped at his parka. "Hey!" He swatted at the horse's muzzle good-naturedly. "I'm not a tasty tidbit!"

Kurogane snorted and bent to adjust the stirrups.

"Helloooo!" Mokona squealed as it waved at them from Syaoran's hood. Sakura and Syaoran had been furnished with heavy winter cloaks, for their garments were too light to protect them during their journey to Sembia. The threesome made their way through the snow to them. "Is everybody ready?" it chirped.

"Nearly," Kurogane grunted as he straightened. He turned to Syaoran and took the packs from him. "So these're your stuff?" he asked.

"Mine and Sakura's," Syaoran replied.

Kurogane's brow furrowed slightly at Syaoran's change in addressing Sakura, but he said nothing as he tied the pack on the last horse. "Humph. We'll have to put the foodstuff on the wizard's horse." He threw the last pack onto Fay's mount and tied it securely in place. He then turned again to Syaoran's horse to adjust the stirrups. He stood back to survey his handiwork and shrugged. "I guess we're set."

"Oh, wait one moment, please," Sakura begged him. "Tomoyo-hime said she'd come out soon to bid us farewell."

Kurogane nodded and crossed his arms. "This'll be the last time you'll see her," he commented shortly. He rolled his eyes. "But we've already wasted practically half of the morning already..."

Fay winked at him. "Actually, you and Suzue-chan did. When we were gathering our stuff before, she stormed into the sitting room and started shouting her head off, demanding why you didn't say anything sooner about leaving. I found your argument highly amusing." He grinned. "Especially the part regarding—"

"Don't start," Kurogane warned him with a menacing growl. "I've got a sword and I'm not afraid to use it."

Fay doubled over, laughing. "It's not my fault... she started using my nicknames..." he managed to gasp between his laughter. "And now you... " He stood up and paused long enough to quote, "_'I've got a sword and I'm not afraid to...' _Pfff... AHAHAHA!" He collapsed onto the snow, laughing his head off.

Kurogane rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. Nope, Fay was definitely never going to grow up.

At that moment, they heard a blaring fanfare. Kurogane winced. He never cared much for those trumpets; they always set him on edge. He frowned. He had a faint suspicion that...

The large doors of Shirasagi Castle opened. Tomoyo passed the threshold and climbed down the stairs gracefully, wearing her imperial robes and her state crown. To her right was Souma as Lead Ninja, and trailing along behind her were (Kurogane groaned) his parents and his sister. Behind them were Tomoyo's handmaidens, after them were a number of courtiers and nobles, and then a small band of ninja who stationed themselves at various posts around the clearing.

"Oh, hell!" Kurogane swore as he slapped his forehead. "I knew it! She's gathered the entire court!"

Fay sniggered heartily as he got to his feet, and Syaoran's and Sakura's eyes had gone wide, large sweat-drops adorning their heads. Mokona giggled, "Awesome! Everyone's here to see us off!"

Souma cleared her throat. "Announcing her Imperial Highness, Princess Tomoyo, Ruler of Nihon and High Priestess of the Shinto Order."

"Bow," Kurogane hissed at them from the corner of his mouth as he bowed low. He hated to think of what the court would say if they—_he_—did otherwise. The others belatedly followed suit.

"Please, rise," Tomoyo told them. They stood to their feet, and she made her way to them, followed by Souma and Kurogane's family. Her handmaidens and the rest of the court remained huddled in the entrance, whispering amongst themselves.

"What the hell's all this?" Kurogane asked her in a low voice as soon as she was standing before them.

"We must keep up with conventions. It's only proper," she whispered back with a wink. It was obvious that she was enjoying all this.

Fay barely managed to suppress a fresh wave of giggles at Kurogane's stricken look.

"I, Princess Tomoyo," she said in a loud and clear voice, "have offered these travelers my aid and assistance in their important and vital mission. As a guide, Kurogane, our strongest ninja, shall lead them to their appointed destination." She paused for a dramatic effect, as her handmaidens and courtiers continued muttering. "But I must first address him with a question of utmost importance."

Kurogane looked up in surprise.

"I must know something in order for me to remove your curse." Her violet eyes surveyed him with a penetrating gaze. "Have you learned the true meaning of strength?"

The question hung ominously between them. Kurogane said nothing for a time. "I think I have," he finally replied quietly, after contemplating his response. He bowed his head for a moment, then looked up at her again. "Strength isn't something you achieve with the death of others. True strength derives from the heart and how strong the heart is." He paused, looking down at his feet. "I was strong before, but my heart wasn't. My heart was aware, but I had it closed and suppressed. But now"—he looked up and met her eyes squarely—"my heart has opened and I truly feel the difference. I am stronger because my heart is stronger."

Souma nodded at his reply. Indeed, her cousin had learned much on his 'little' journey. Suzue frowned slightly, not understanding the reason for this question and answer, but understanding that he had voiced something of great significance. Kurogane's mother, who was a very emotional woman, was trying her very hardest not to let her feelings get the better of her in public, even though she had no idea what they were discussing. Kurogane's father, on the other hand, continued to stare stonily at his son, his face a mask as to how he was feeling. The court's babble simply intensified, gossip at the maximum.

Tomoyo smiled, very pleased with his answer. "You have truly learned the meaning of strength." She waved her hands and the glittering shadow of an emblem appeared.

The same emblem appeared on Kurogane's helmet, upon the black crescent moon. He stepped back a pace, startled. The symbol upon his helmet glimmered with a bright purple-pink glow. He felt as if a great weight were upon him, as if he were being subject to a strange pressure that wouldn't allow him to breathe.

A shaft of the same purple-pink light joined the symbol upon his forehead with the symbol hovering before Tomoyo's hands. Then he felt as if something was being pulled—torn, actually—from him. He screwed his eyes shut as he felt the curse literally wrenched away from his body. He gasped in pain and surprise as the last shards of the magic left him and entered the emblem in Tomoyo's hands. He didn't recall it hurting when she had first put the curse on him.

Tomoyo waved her hands and the emblem dissolved into nothingness. "The curse has been removed." She looked up at him in concern. "How do you feel?"

He straightened, breathing heavily. He felt somewhat emancipated in a way. It was a liberating feeling, as if something heavy upon his conscious had gone. He was no longer compelled to control himself in killing. But then, he had no desire to kill. "As if something heavy left me," he replied. He tried to ignore the court's excited buzzing.

Tomoyo smiled and nodded knowingly. "Now, you are ready." She surveyed the four travelers. "It was an honor to meet you all. I wish you luck in finding what you seek. I only hope that you will not be in grave dangers. Remember your friendship and the bonds that join you together. It's the only way you'll be able to get through this ordeal."

She turned to Sakura and took her hands in hers. "Remember everything that I told you, Sakura-hime," she told her solemnly. "The outcome of this journey depends on your willpower alone."

Sakura nodded determinedly. "I'll try my very best."

"Good! That's the spirit," Tomoyo grinned at her encouragingly.

"Thank you for all of your help," she said sincerely, bowing. "I'll miss you."

"I was honored to be able to help you in some way." She sighed. "And I'll miss you, too, Sakura-hime."

Sakura hesitated slightly, then smiled. "We'll definitely meet again someday."

"Definitely," Tomoyo agreed with a warm chuckle.

She managed to climb up onto the horse with Syaoran's help. He turned to Tomoyo and bowed. "Thank you very much for your help and hospitality."

"Oh, nonsense," Tomoyo said with a small smile. "I was glad to be of service. Just don't forget to study the Prophecy."

"I won't." Syaoran bowed again in thanks and climbed onto the horse, seating himself behind Sakura.

Fay grinned as he bowed extravagantly. "Fare thee well, Princess," he said courteously. He scrambled up onto his horse with as much grace as he could manage. "Mayhap we shall meet anon."

Tomoyo giggled. "Your humor will get the better of you one day, Fay-kun. And your archaic speech needs refining." She winked mischievously.

"Well, we can't have everything in life," he laughed with a small wave.

"Take care of yourselves," Tomoyo warned them. "And try not to draw attention to yourselves in Sembia."

"We'll be careful," Syaoran assured her.

Only Kurogane hadn't mounted yet, as his family was busy cautioning him and giving him advice. Souma was telling him to beware brigands and cutthroats, Suzue was reminding him to mind his manners lest she box his ears upon his return (he wondered in passing if she could actually do that), his mother was fussing over him (as usual), but his father said nothing. Kurogane tried his very best not to lose his temper with their pampering and make a fool of himself, especially in front of the gossiping court, but he could stand it no longer. He held up his hands and said, "Hey, hey! Cut it out already! I'm twenty-nine and I've been on my own before, and on more dangerous missions than this one. Don't you think I can take care of myself and the others?"

But to Kurogane's astonishment, and to the surprise of everyone else, it was his father who spoke. "He's right, you know," he told them all. "He's no baby and he's perfectly capable of taking care of himself." His keen green eyes had lost none of their potency as they bored into Kurogane's crimson ones. He seemed on the verge of stopping, but he continued, saying, "You bring much honor to our House." He clapped Kurogane on the shoulder and actually cracked him a broad smile. "I'm very proud of you, son. More than you realize."

A stunned silence met his statement. Even Syaoran and the others didn't know what to say. After meeting Kurogane's father, Kumaso Ito, a couple of times while Kurogane had been recuperating, they had all believed that he held Kurogane in a peculiar sort of contempt. They had never understood why, and they had not pried since Kurogane had not told them anything on the subject, but Kumaso had appeared to openly dislike Kurogane, heavily contrasting with Suzue and Aya, Kurogane's mother. So the foursome was as shocked as everyone else.

Kurogane's eyes widened slightly. He nodded, swallowing. "Thank you, Father," he said, a small catch in his voice. "I thank you for that acknowledgement." Kumaso had never actually called him 'son' before straight to his face. "And I thank you for your belief in me."

Kumaso sniffed. "It was long overdue. But don't think you're off the hook yet, kid. You're still the most incorrigible person I know."

Aya burst into tears and sobbed on Suzue's shoulder, not being able to hold in her feelings any longer. Suzue also seemed close to crying herself. Her father had shown many times that he preferred her to Kurogane, although, logically thinking, it should have been the other way around. She was happy for Kurogane's sake, for he had finally received the recognition he had been striving for all of these years. Souma clasped her hand to her cheek, touched by the exchange between father and son.

Kurogane bowed to Kumaso gratefully, who still wore a smug I'm-not-over-with-you-yet smile, and turned to mount his horse. However, he paused when Tomoyo came to stand timidly before him.

She had wrung her hands together, seemingly torn between a need to embrace him and a need to regain her composure in front of her court. But her heart won her over in the end. She suddenly flung her arms around his shoulders and gripped him tightly (all who were assembled gasped audibly, even the highly-trained ninja). "Come back to me, my love," she whispered hoarsely. "Don't let anything happen to you."

Kurogane felt extremely self-conscious, aware that they were the complete center of attention, but frankly, he didn't care. Tomoyo mattered more. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "I will," he promised. "I'll return to you, without fail."

Tomoyo smiled weakly. "Just like you promised."

"Yeah," he said. "Just like then and just like now. I never break my promises."

"I know," said Tomoyo in a voice near tears as she looked up at him. Their eyes locked, ruby meeting amethyst. It was so hard for her to let go... so hard. But she knew that he spoke the truth. He would never let anything get between them. "Go quickly, Kurogane," she breathed, her heart in her eyes. "I don't want you to see me crying again."

He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand in farewell, knowing that to do anything more would make matters worse, then turned to mount. With one last look at her, he turned his horse, heading toward the ornate gold gateway, Fay, Sakura, Syaoran and Mokona following in his wake.

Tears streamed down Tomoyo's cheeks. Kurogane was her life and love. He was the only one for her. If anything happened to him... she would never be able to feel for anyone again. She knew his determinedness and strong will would be essential to see them through, but still, she hoped that the journey would be uneventful. However, deep, down in her heart, she new that it would not be so.

———————————————

Kurogane led them steadily at a trot for around two hours along the Highway, then turned southwest, away from it, leading them into a dense forest. The bare boughs of the trees were heavily laden with snow and the forest was deathly quiet.

"Isn't it a bit odd?" Syaoran asked Kurogane at one point.

"What's odd?" the ninja muttered abstractedly as he scanned the woody terrain.

"This forest. It's too quiet."

"That's normal in the wintertime," said Kurogane. "All the animals are hibernating. It's when you start hearing noises you should be suspicious. That means that something's disturbing the peace."

"Aren't_we_ doing something similar?" Fay asked, wincing slightly.

"No," he replied, "'cause you're with me. As long as you follow my lead, we should be okay." He pointed to the right, at a direction leading through the trees. "We go this way."

———————————————

After another hour they had cleared the forest, and Kurogane suggested that they take a break to stretch their legs and to eat lunch.

"We're going at a good pace," he informed them as he dismounted and patted his horse's muzzle. "We've already covered about fifteen to twenty miles, I judge."

"That's good news," Syaoran said as he climbed down his horse. "The sooner we get there, the better." He offered his hand to Sakura to dismount.

"If the weather doesn't change," she pointed out, gripping at his forearms for support.

"There's no worry of anything like that happening today," Kurogane said. "Most likely, it'll start snowing heavily tomorrow around noon."

"Hyu!" Fay whistled. "Everything seems much more convenient when on horseback!"

"Horses_do_ make traveling easier," Kurogane noted. He eyed Fay critically. "Now get off of yours and strip to the waist."

_"What?!"_ he demanded incredulously.

"I need to check out that gash of yours. I noticed your twitches and grimaces on the road. It's bugging you."

"Sometimes, I wish your eyesight wasn't as keen as it is," Fay muttered as he got off of his horse. He wasn't very graceful, as it was between a jump and a fall, and he failed to suppress another shudder. "Then again, when noticing trouble, I take it back immediately. Those eyes of yours come in handy, even though they _are_ an intimidating color." He took off his heavy parka. "How is it that you have red eyes, actually? And pointy canine teeth? The only other person I've ever seen with red eyes is the Dimensional Witch, and believe me, I've seen a lot of people in my time!"

"Yup!" Mokona piped up. "Yuuko's the only one with red eyes I've ever seen!" It leapt onto Syaoran's head excitedly. "Except for Kurogane, of course!"

Kurogane narrowed his eyes dangerously. Being compared to that witch was not at all to his liking.

Fay raised his hands nervously and sweat-dropped. "I was just asking!" He undid his inner parka. "It's just, well, Suzue-chan has brown eyes. Souma-san has green eyes, and so does your dad. Your mom has brown eyes, too." He shrugged as he removed the blue parka. "I was just wondering."

Kurogane said nothing as he surveyed the area. In truth, he had wondered himself at times why his appearance contrasted greatly with his family's. His height surpassed even his father's, his hair was short and had the uncanny habit of not staying flat, and at times he had even felt somewhat apart from his family members. He couldn't rightly explain it, but he sometimes felt that he didn't belong. It was a feeling he did not like and was one of the reasons he didn't like staying with his family for too long. "I've wondered, too," he mumbled in an undertone.

Fay pulled off his long black gloves. "Are you going to examine me for long?" he asked Kurogane. "Because it's pretty chilly and I'll probably turn blue with the cold before long!"

Kurogane rolled his eyes. "I won't take long if you won't take long," he growled.

"Okay, okay, I can take a hint," Fay said as he unbuttoned his white undercoat. "You're too impatient, Kuro-rin. How cute!" He pulled it off, and was left with his black pants and boots. His pale torso was wrapped in the bandages Kurogane had tied him up in last night. Fay crossed his arms, his teeth chattering slightly. "Hurry, will you? I'm freezing!"

Kurogane undid the bandages and checked the stitches. They hadn't opened, and were doing a good job of healing. He wrapped Fay up again. "Okay. I bet you'll have healed enough by tomorrow night for me to remove the stitches. Now dress."

"You sure took your time," Fay muttered as he pulled on his clothes again. "I would've gotten a frostbite before long!"

"Quit exaggerating," Kurogane told him. "Aren't you supposedly from a cold country?"

"Well, it's been so long since I've been exposed to the brutal winter climate!" he complained as he wrapped himself up in his parkas. "Ah! Warm at last!"

Kurogane snorted and shook his head. "You're such a softie."

"And proud of it!" Fay winked with a thumbs-up, sending Sakura, Syaoran, and Mokona into peals of laughter.

———————————————

After another few hours of travel, Kurogane led them through a narrow ravine. The wind blew horribly in their faces, stinging their eyes and chilling them to the bone. But they plodded onward, trudging with difficulty through the snow, which swirled in their faces by the wind.

The invisible trails were unknown to all except to those who knew the land, and Kurogane was one of them. He continued on confidently, never wavering in taking this way or that way when coming across many paths. Sakura was amazed that Kurogane could recognize such subtle differences in the terrain, when all she saw was the same bleak environment.

It was about an hour and a half before nightfall when Kurogane halted and told them to dismount. "The road's tricky here, so we'll have to lead our horses." He gripped his mount's reins tightly and led them through a steep pass, which steadily went downhill. The footing was treacherous, and they had to take great care not to slip. It was difficult because of the dirty snow disguising various patches of dark ice; at one point, Sakura lost her footing and slid down on her backside for twelve feet before she managed to come to a halt.

"That was fun!" Mokona squealed from inside Sakura's hood. "Let's do it again!"

"Are you okay?" Syaoran asked her anxiously as soon as he had reached her side. He offered her his hand to get up, but ended up slipping himself, falling with a sharp hiss on his rump.

Fay sniggered heartily. "Why don't we just slide down the rest of the way? It'd save time," he suggested humorously.

"Do that and you'll get soaked through with all this slush," Kurogane told him as he grabbed Syaoran by his cloak at the scruff of the neck and hauled him to his feet. "But I bet it'd make one hell of a scene; a water-logged magician." He also helped Sakura up. "Hell, I could use a laugh," he added sardonically.

"What's this?" Fay chortled as he continued downward after the others. "Kuro-wan actually admitting, with a hint of sarcasm, that he can laugh? I must make a mental note to humiliate myself more often! If this is all it takes to make you joke, then—"

But Fay never finished his phrase, for he also lost his footing, and, with a surprised yelp, he let go of the reins of his mount and started skidding downward. But after sliding for a few feet, he landed at the bottom, into a rock-strewn basin about thirty feet in diameter. Fay remained sitting for a few moments, then burst into laughter. "Well, there you go, Kuro-puu! I made a fool of myself! And I didn't hear you laugh," he complained in an accusatory tone, looking up at the tall ninja who carefully stepped off of the steep rock face into the basin, leading Fay's horse as well as his own.

"I didn't really find it funny," Kurogane retorted dryly, quickly losing his patience. "Maybe you'll force a laugh outta me some other time." He shaded his eyes and surveyed the basin. He nodded. "We'll set up camp here for the night."

He gave them instructions on how to prepare the camp and they all set about the tasks he had assigned them. Syaoran took care of making a fire, careful to dig deep into the ground so as to hide the long flames from unfriendly eyes. Sakura and Fay attempted to set up the tent, which was quite amusing at first because it always kept collapsing upon itself, and Mokona was more a hindrance than a help. Kurogane tended to the horses, making sure that they were warm enough and that they had enough oats to eat. He then went to the merrily cracking fire to prepare their meal, telling Syaoran to 'go help those fun-loving jerks fix that damn tent already,' with an excessive use of vocal cords.

Finally, after the tent had been erected and all the necessary jobs taken care of, they settled around the pleasantly warm fire to eat their supper. It wasn't much because it was made with meager supplies, but it was filling.

"I could've made us something tasty if I only had the proper ingredients," Fay said wistfully as he chewed on the dry bread. "But we couldn't really afford to bring more supplies, could we?"

"Nope," Kurogane said. "And anyway, we won't be on the road much longer. Two more days at the most, and then we'll be in the capital. Tomorrow we'll pass the borders and descend into Semba."

Fay stared into the dancing flames, in deep thought. "In about eight days, we'll reach the Tower, right?" he said after a long pause.

"Mm," Kurogane grunted. "Hopefully, we'll have learned something more about that bastard by searching that tavern in Sembia."

Fay nodded. "And once we find out who the One Without Destiny meets, and why, we'll have to somehow take the feather from him."

"Yes," Syaoran said in a strong voice. "We'll definitely get it back."

"Thank you all so very, very much," said Sakura gratefully. "I don't know what I would've done without your help." She clenched her fist. "I promise that I'll put a stop to Fei Wang Reed."

"Wait a minute," Kurogane said as he sat up straighter. "I completely forgot that this One Without Destiny guy is gonna meet somebody at Solar Tower."

"So?" Mokona asked him as it leapt into his lap with a giggle. "Does it matter?"

"It actually does, you white manjuu," Kurogane snapped as he grabbed it by the ears and tossed it to Sakura. His scarlet eyes mirrored the flames of their campfire, giving him a rather sinister appearance. "D'you guys think it could be that Fei Wang?"

"I highly doubt that Fei Wang himself would make an appearance," Fay disagreed. "Most likely an underling, or a hologram of him or something. To appear in person would most likely jeopardize his plans."

"Someone we might have met before?" Syaoran suggested. "Since both the Prophecy and the Dimensional Witch said that we know the One Without Destiny, it only stands to reason that we might know the other person, too."

"Then who could the One Without Destiny be?" Sakura mused. "None of the people we've met would want to hurt us, would they?"

"There've definitely been some who did, Sakura-chan," Fay said bleakly. "Let's count our enemies, shall we? Let's see..."

They spent the better part of the evening discussing possible suspects. They didn't make much of a headway though, for all the mysterious happenings led back to Fei Wang. They couldn't for the life of them guess who the One Without Destiny could be.

Kurogane tilted his head back to survey the night sky. He stood up and brushed his pants and cloak free of snow. "We'll have to set up a watch. You never know what dangers there might be in the wilderness. We'll take turns so everyone'll have a chance to sleep, but we should do it in pairs. Just in case we get ambushed, one of us'll be able to hold our enemies off while the other'll wake the others up." He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "I'm up first. Who wants to keep watch with me?"

"I will," Sakura offered. "I want to help as much as I can."

Kurogane nodded. "I haven't got a problem." He turned to the others. "Now you two get to bed."

"Yes, Daddy!" Fay saluted smartly, then dove into the tent with a girlish shriek when Kurogane made a move to throttle him.

———————————————

The next morning dawned bright and sunny, but lacked anything resembling warmth. A considerable layer of frost covered the ground before them, and now that it was light enough, Syaoran could see that the rock face they had descended was of considerable height. He regarded the fire pit critically. He had been so engrossed in his discussion with Fay that he had let the flames die. He gathered some twigs and fallen limbs and proceeded to start the fire going again, as much for their meal as for bringing heat back into their bodies.

Fay offered to help Syaoran with the fire, and with their combined efforts, they soon managed to get it going. As soon as the fire was hot enough, Fay took it upon himself to prepare their breakfast, suggesting that Syaoran tend to their mounts.

Kurogane's boots crunched against the thin ice as he emerged from the tent with a huge yawn. He scratched at his chin absent-mindedly as he sniffed the air, catching the scent of meat being cooked. "What the hell're you doing?" he asked Fay, who was crouched before the fire.

"Good morning, Kuro-chan! Just fixing up breakfast," he answered cheerfully. "We couldn't let the bacon go bad before having a chance to eat some, could we? Oh! I'll cut up some of the cheese, too." He rummaged through the pack and produced a wax-covered ball of cheese. "And anyway, we can't let you do all the work, can we?"

Kurogane arched his eyebrows, surprised at Fay's eagerness to help. Maybe the wiry wizard was trying to make up for being such an ass yesterday with the tent. Though Kurogane highly doubted that _all_ of Fay's intentions were honorable. "I guess I'll go check on the horses, then," he finally said.

"Already ahead of you, Kuro-bun! Syaoran-kun went to check up on them."

Kurogane frowned and crossed his arms. "What's with all the help?"

Fay looked up at him with a smile. "It's only fair that we help in some way, you know. You're our guide anyhow, and that's more than enough. Plus, you're the warrior, which means that you'll probably be doing most of the fighting if we chance across trouble. So that really doesn't leave the rest of us with many alternatives, does it?"

What Fay was saying made perfect sense, but years of experience still made Kurogane suspicious of all the help Fay was offering. Kurogane spread his cloak on the ground and sat before the fire. His eyes raised to the clouds overhead, which had turned the sky a dirty slate-gray. He sniffed at the air, and the chill, dusty odor of it heralded that it would start snowing soon.

Syaoran emerged from the small space behind the tent where they had picketed the horses. "Good morning, Kurogane-san," he greeted him as he held his hands before the fire for warmth. "I trust you slept well?"

Kurogane shrugged. "Okay enough. It's not like you'll ever get comfortable sleeping on the ground."

Syaoran shot a cursory glance at the tent. "Shouldn't we wake them up?"

"Probably," Fay muttered as he turned some slabs of bread over the fire. "But wait just a little for me to finish here."

After a few minutes had passed, Syaoran went to wake Sakura and Mokona, and the five of them ate their fill in silence. They struck camp and Kurogane erased any traces of their ever being there. He led them out of the basin and into rocky terrain. After traveling for a few hours, the clouds finally burst and snow started drifting downward steadily.

The wind, which had been a mere breeze tickling them at first, picked up and started nipping relentlessly at their exposed skin. The temperature seemed to drop even lower and it started snowing harder before long.

After a brief stop for lunch, they continued their trek at a brisk trot until they reached a broad plain, devoid of trees. It was more of a large valley, for on both sides Syaoran could see the outlines of small mountains when he shaded his eyes. "The armies of Nihon and Semba met here eleven years ago," Kurogane suddenly told them. "There used to be a forest over there, you see those trees in the distance?" he asked as he pointed out the direction he meant. "But all the wood was used to burn the dead." His voice sounded despondent, and he sighed heavily.

The desolate expanse continued on for miles, and although the wind was harsher and fiercer, Kurogane suggested that they could chance a canter, since the terrain was pretty smooth and there was no danger of their horses tripping. After traveling thus for a few miles, they heard a distinct whinnying in the distance.

Kurogane pulled hard on the reins, coming to an abrupt stop. His horse reared slightly and snorted. The others also reined up. "Are we being followed?" Sakura asked in a small voice as she looked around.

"There!" Mokona squeaked as it pointed behind them. "Riders!"

They turned their mounts to get a better look. A band of riders was galloping across the desolation, their mounts kicking up snow as they approached them rapidly. Blades in their hands glinted against the sunlight.

"They're definitely after us," Fay said in a low voice as he gripped at his horse's reins tightly.

"Damn it," Kurogane swore under his breath. It was obvious that he had led them poorly, right into the open. And the fact that he didn't cover up the tracks they had left in the snow was another mistake he made. He was becoming too careless, and it was something he couldn't afford. He could get them killed because of his stupidity! He had to correct his mistake. He pulled out Souhi with a steely hiss. "You guys go on towards the woods and wait for me there. I'll take care of these bastards."

"But, Kurogane-san..." Syaoran started to say.

"Go!" Kurogane barked. "There's nothing you guys can do. You'll only get in my way."

Fay nodded and indicated to Syaoran that they get going. They turned their mounts toward the woods and broke in a gallop, leaving Kurogane where he stood his ground, waiting.

Kurogane held Souhi tightly in his right fist. The sun shimmered against the steel, making the blade seem to shine. Kurogane narrowed his eyes, calculating the distance between him and their pursuers, which was rapidly closing. His breath steamed in the chill air as the wind continued to howl, whipping his cloak about him.

Without warning, Kurogane spurred his mount forward and charged at them. The riders halted, surprised at this sudden response. There were eight of them in total, and they all wore the same type of armor. Kurogane, however, seemed to hardly take note of this as he rode right at them, rapidly narrowing the space between them.

The warriors stood their ground, brandishing their swords menacingly. But when it became apparent that Kurogane had no intention of halting for any reason, the warriors before him scampered out of the way before he ran them over. He wheeled his horse and charged at them again.

This time, the riders decided to fight back. Three of them held their swords before them and slashed out at him as he passed. Two of the swords only ripped at his cloak, but the third sword bit into his left shoulder; however, it did not manage to pierce him as it got his armor-plate, which had been hidden under his cloak.

Kurogane spun his mount and lashed out, felling two of the riders from their saddles. His blade sheared effortlessly through their thin armor and blood spurted from their fatal wounds as they toppled from their horses. Kurogane turned his mount and blocked a blow aimed at his head, and, spinning his arm, he decapitated the offending warrior.

An arrow buzzed by him and his horse reared with a shriek of pain, the arrow protruding from its neck, throwing him from its back hard onto the ground. Kurogane quickly rolled out of the way of the falling animal. He leapt to his feet and grabbed onto the pommel of one of the stray horses whose rider he felled previously, hauling himself quickly up onto its back. He knew with a certainty that he would have had no chance against the remaining riders when on foot.

He ducked quickly from an overhand blow and thrust Souhi into the warrior's chest. The warrior's eyes widened as blood flowed from his gaping mouth. Kurogane kicked the body off his sword and whirled, rapidly blocking another blow at him.

Another arrow whizzed past him, missing his face by mere inches. After smoothly slicing open the rider fighting with him, he turned his mount and ran down the archer, who attempted to draw his sword when Kurogane closed in on him. With a grimace, he chopped him out of his saddle with a mighty stroke of his bloodied sword.

The two remaining riders took one look at Kurogane and decided that it was the perfect moment to make a hasty retreat. They turned their horses and ran from him. But Kurogane was not as easily discouraged. He urged his mount after them, and when he gained on them a few seconds later, he veered slightly to the left, plunging on past the attackers, then pulled his horse directly into their path.

With a terrified whinny, one of the horses bucked, throwing its rider to the ground. With a snort and a flick of its tail, it bolted. The other rider jerked his mount to a sudden stop and fumbled to reach the sword strapped at his side. Kurogane thrust his own sword into the rider, running him through.

Kurogane dismounted, and with a sure and steady stride, he made for the last warrior.

The warrior remained lying on his back, transfixed with fear as Kurogane neared him. He flinched when Kurogane pressed his red blade against his throat and wondered vaguely why he was still alive.

"Who are you?" Kurogane asked him in a cold voice.

The man swallowed hard, his breath coming out in quick rasps. "I-I'm a hired mercenary," he stammered in fear.

Kurogane regarded the trembling rider with an intimidating glare, his scarlet eyes drilling into him. "Liar," he spat. "Mercenaries don't wear matching armor."

The man licked at his dry lips, his wide eyes darting this way and that. "W-we were told to d-do so," he squeaked in a high-pitched voice. "And if a-anyone asked us who we were, we were to s-say that we were s-samurai."

Kurogane looked at him long and hard. "Who was your employer?"

"I d-don't know," he whimpered. "It was someone w-wearing a long c-cloak. Our l-leader handled the negotiations. H-he never mentioned his name."

"What d'you know about us?" Kurogane demanded.

The mercenary shook his head furiously. "Nothing! We were o-only told that we were to k-kill you and the blond one, and capture the t-two adolescents."

Kurogane frowned. What did they want with Syaoran and Sakura? "And if your plan succeeded, what would you have done with them?"

"I-I don't know! W-we weren't told in detail what was to h-happen! Only our l-leader knew!"

Kurogane_tsked_. The leader must've been one of the others he killed. "Which one's your leader?"

"Th-the archer," he replied quickly. His eyes grew round. "Please, don't kill me," he begged.

Kurogane's eyes glinted. He gripped the handle of his sword tightly. There was no point in killing him as he was a simple soldier, but then again, he might warn his fellows, if he had any, that they had survived. "Were there more of you?"

He shook his head in the negative. "I-It was just us!" His eyes grew as large as marbles at Kurogane's expression. "I swear!"

Kurogane bent low and grasped his throat in a vice-like grip. "You had better be telling the truth," he growled menacingly, "or else the next time we cross paths you'll be wishing I _did_ kill you."

The mercenary gulped hard and nodded.

"Good," Kurogane said as he straightened. He kicked the man hard in the side. "Now get outta here before I change my mind about killing you."

Convinced that he had been saved by a miracle of some sort, the mercenary flung himself upon a horse and spurred the mount into action, galloping away.

Kurogane walked toward his fallen horse and retrieved his pack. Turning to the mount he had used in the skirmish, he tied his pack to its saddle. Kurogane then inspected the fallen warriors. They had each been paid five gold coins, and the archer was undoubtedly the leader, for he had twelve pieces of gold upon him. So the mercenary he had spared had been telling the truth. Kurogane took the archer's bow and arrows and gathered the gold. There was no point in wasting it. He cleaned the blood off his blade and mounted his newly-acquired horse.

As he approached the woods, he saw the others waiting for him. "Yay!" Mokona squealed. "Kurogane's okay!" It leapt onto his head. "We were so worried! For a moment there, it looked like you were swarmed under!"

Kurogane snorted. "Yeah, right." He told them what he had found out from the mercenary and handed the bow and arrows to Fay. "Here's something for you to fight with."

"Thanks," Fay said gratefully. "I was wondering what I'd do without weapons."

"What on earth would they want Syaoran and me for?" Sakura demanded.

"I dunno," Kurogane admitted. "But I bet that the employer was the One Without Destiny. So, for some reason or other, that Fei Wang wants you guys." He squared his shoulders. "We'd better move on. There may be more of them."

Syaoran nodded. "We didn't meet any dangers yesterday and I thought for a while that we wouldn't meet any."

"That was a mistake," Kurogane stated fiercely. "And I don't make the same mistakes twice. C'mon."

He spurred his mount into a trot and led them through the wood. Numerous thoughts were running through his head. He had felt a little strange killing again, but it had been necessary. They would have done the same to them, anyhow. Somehow, the thought cheered him little. He was still angry with himself that he had not taken care to hide their passage. But however easy it could have been to find them, someone was most definitely spying on them. For how else could the mercenaries have know where to find them?

He was not the only one troubled. Syaoran felt a cool detachment toward the outer world at that moment, and was fretting inside. It was quite logical for Fei Wang Reed to want Sakura, but what did he have to do with him? Somehow, Syaoran got the faint feeling that it may have something to do with his right eye and with the one who controlled him. His thoughts were still dark as they traveled deeper into the wood. He shivered. And not just from the cold.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** I know it sounds weird that Kurogane immediately killed the moment Tomoyo removed the curse (well, not immediately, but close enough). He does question his actions later. (Getting philosophical, aren't we?) But of course, we now know it wasn't really a curse, so I can't really complain. _—shrugs and winks—_ True strength isn't just about physical strength. It's also about mental strength, and being willing to give up anything for the ones you care about. But you didn't need me to tell you that. XD

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	12. Complications

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 12 — Complications**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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Once they had cleared the wood, the gale hit them again with full force. Under the cover of the trees they had been protected by the worst of the biting wind, but it returned now in full measure. Even the snow seemed to be falling even heavier than before.

They continued at a canter for a few hours, trying to ignore the chill seeping through them. When it approached nightfall, they made their way down into a gully and set camp up against the side of a sharp outcropping of rock. Thankfully, the snow stopped shortly afterward, but the wind continued to howl and chill them.

Kurogane was against their building a fire, for he strongly believed that they would light a beacon for their enemies that way. He reminded them that they had to be careful to mask their passage, for the mercenaries' attempt to attack them before proved that he had been careless. He did not exactly convey his meaning in so many words and by saying all of those things, but it was obvious to Syaoran that Kurogane was still ringed with guilt. "And I don't plan to help them find us again," Kurogane had added in a low growl.

They ate a poor meal of ham and cheese, and Kurogane made a feeble attempt to remove Fay's stitches, nearly blundering from lack of light. So, against Kurogane's better judgment, they lit a small fire for meager warmth and light, and he proceeded to remove the stitches. Fay made no effort to stem his complaints about Kurogane's lack of speed and about the cold, and he constantly reminded him of these observations of his.

"Do you suppose you could hurry, Kuro-rin?" Fay asked yet again. "It's a little too cold for standing around half-dressed!"

"I told you that you could still wear your parkas. All you had to do was unbutton them," Kurogane muttered irritably as he carefully went about his work.

"But it's difficult to button myself up again if I do it like that," Fay complained. "I'd end up having to take them off just to put them back on properly."

"Well, I'm not the one freezing my ass off," Kurogane pointed out.

Sakura and Mokona finally collapsed in helpless glee, not being able to hold in their mirth any longer. They had tried very hard to control themselves since the beginning of Fay's babble, but this was finally too much. Syaoran was torn between joining in the laughter and staying neutral, but he could not hide the huge grin that spread upon his face. He compromised by hiding himself behind the Prophecy, which he was attempting to study in the faint light provided by the campfire.

Fay threw his head back and also joined in the laughter, even if it was at his own expense. "Actually," he admitted after a pause for a breather, "it's the top part that's freezing!" He sniggered heartily as the others continued to laugh.

Kurogane gritted his teeth irritably. "How d'you expect me to get this over with if you keep on moving?!" he demanded angrily.

"Stop talking, then," Fay told him archly as he crossed his arms. "Because it's _you_ who's making me laugh." He grinned at him and winked as the others burst out laughing again.

Kurogane pointedly ignored him, trying very hard to resist the urge to give him a sharp poke. But just then, Sakura put a hand to her forehead and mumbled, "Oh, dear..." Then, she slumped forward, fast asleep.

"Sakura!" Syaoran gasped in a strangled voice as he abandoned the Prophecy and rushed to her side.

"Sakura's okay," Mokona assured him. "She's just asleep!"

Syaoran sighed heavily. "We have to find the rest of her memories." He lifted her limp form in his arms tenderly and carried her to the tent, Mokona hopping along behind him. He laid her upon her sleeping pallet carefully, and Mokona curled up beside her with a yawn, soon fast asleep itself.

Sakura wore a smile upon her lips, and her auburn hair was spread about her face like a crown. Syaoran smiled in remembrance as he covered her gently with the fur-lined blanket. He sighed again as he leaned his head upon his arms. He missed their close friendship. Although they were still close, it just wasn't the same. So much had happened ever since they had first started the search for her feathers... and so much was yet to happen, he felt sure of the fact.

For some reason, their enemy wanted them. Wanting Sakura was logical, but why would Fei Wang want him? Could it all be somehow connected with his blind eye and his dreams? His past? What had happened to him in his past? Syaoran did not remember anything before Fujitaka had found him.

Could the boy who looked like him be their enemy? Fei Wang Reed? Syaoran frowned. No, the boy couldn't be Fei Wang, for there was something familiar about him, and it nagged at him for some reason. He couldn't quite recall it, but he had the impression that they had met before. And not just in his dreams.

Sakura sniffed and her hand twitched in her sleep. Her lips moved to mutter something, but Syaoran did not hear what she said. She then sighed and snuggled deeper under the covers.

He clenched his fist determinedly. He would get her memories back. All of them. Even if Sakura would not remember him when everything was over. He would protect her. He would make sure that Fei Wang Reed would not get his hands on her. That, he promised.

Shooting her a small smile, he emerged from the tent to see that Kurogane had finally finished with Fay, cautioning him to take care because the skin was still healing.

Fay hurriedly dressed and covered himself with one of the blankets, his teeth chattering. "You sure took your time," he muttered as he held up his hands before the fire.

Kurogane regarded him with a flat stare. "Would you have preferred it if I used the full amount of my strength and impaired you?" he asked him in a conventional tone ringed with steel. "The thought crossed my mind several times."

"Ah... no. Good point." Fay grinned sheepishly.

Syaoran sat across from the two grown men whom he had come to respect and care for in these four years of their companionship. "Do you feel better, Fay-san?" he asked the pale wizard as he gathered the Prophecy to him again.

"Loads better," Fay grinned. "The only problem is getting warm again."

Kurogane rolled his eyes exasperatedly and eased his head back upon his arms. He leaned his back against the hard and cold rock-face. His gaze rose to the dark night sky and he beheld the gibbous moon with no particular interest. But with a sudden pang, he realized that the moon reminded him of Tomoyo. He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly, losing himself in a pleasant reverie of his raven-haired princess.

Only a few blissful moments had passed when he was brutally brought back to the present. "Kurogane-san?" Syaoran called him tentatively.

Kurogane opened his eyes and straightened. "What?"

"You said last night that we'd pass into Semba. Did we?"

"As soon as we left those woods we were past the borders and in Semba. Tomorrow evening, we'll be in Sembia, and we'll find some inn or other to spend the night in."

Syaoran frowned in confusion. "Why not stay at the _Red Rose_? I thought taverns were also inns and had rooms."

"We can't risk people finding out that we're searching for clues on this One Without Destiny," Kurogane pointed out. "So we'll have to stay someplace else in the meantime."

"Yup!" Fay grinned. He stood up and stretched lazily. "And now that that's all settled, I'm gonna get some shut-eye. G'night, Syaoran-kun. G'night, Kuro-wankoro." He yawned hugely as he crawled into the tent.

Kurogane stood up and piled snow onto the fire. "Let's not light a beacon announcing our location," he muttered as he kicked the snow onto the small fire pit. The fire steamed and went out with a hiss as the melted water put the flames out.

Syaoran rolled up the Prophecy. It looked like he wasn't going to get any further that night. He carefully tied it up with its black ribbon and placed it carefully in his cloak. He and Kurogane sat in silence. The only sounds they could hear were from the whistling wind, which continued to tear at them.

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"Kurogane-san! Wake up!"

Kurogane was roughly awakened by an anxious cry and someone shaking him. It felt like he had just gone to bed after making sure that Fay and Sakura wouldn't fall asleep while on watch. He snapped his eyes open and sat up abruptly. "What's happened?" he asked Sakura, who hovered worriedly by him. Syaoran had also woken up, his eyes still glazed and half-glued with sleep.

Her face seemed terribly frightened. "There's some sort of flying creature outside!"

"Wha...?" Kurogane muttered unintelligibly. Then his eyes widened. "Damn it!" he exclaimed as he hurriedly donned his cloak. "I completely forgot!" He rushed out of the tent, pulling on his boots as he ran.

His eyes scanned the sky above him intently. The pre-dawn light illuminated the immense form that swooped above them, its massive wings thrusting its large bulk onward. The creature bellowed and a burst of flame shot out of its mouth.

Fay stood by the tent, shading his eyes as he surveyed the beast. He held the bow in his hand, and hurriedly fit an arrow in the notch. He raised the bow and took careful aim.

Kurogane was alerted by the sound of the bowstring tensing. He turned to Fay, an expression of horror on his face. "Don't shoot, you idiot!" He reached out and grasped Fay's forearms, forcing them downward.

Fay released the arrow in surprise and it hit the layer of frost upon the ground before them. "Why did you do that?!" Fay demanded in bewilderment.

"You'd have hit her!" He let go of him and took a few steps forward.

_"Her?"_ Fay repeated incredulously.

Kurogane did not answer. Putting his fingers to his lips, he blew a shrill and loud whistle.

As if the creature had heard Kurogane's call, it started to swoop around in circles above them. By the time the beast had started to descend, Syaoran and Mokona had also gotten up. Syaoran's eyes grew round in surprise as he stared open-mouthed at the flying creature.

Kurogane's gaze followed the beast's progress in the sky. The creature swooped twice above them, and, flapping its massive wings, it landed before them gracefully, despite its large size.

The earth shook slightly when the beast made contact with it and its wings kicked up snow. It was wholly covered in blood-red scales, a lighter shade of red covering its soft underbelly, and its four clawed feet had large black talons. Its sinuous serpentine body was very long, and its tail swished about behind it. It folded its massive crimson wings across its back. The ridge upon its back was also scarlet-colored and long whiskers flowed about its snout. Its large head was adorned by two horns. It bent its scaly head down and regarded them curiously with bright green eyes, with black vertical pupils. It opened its jaws and they saw that its muzzle was filled with rows of bright white teeth, its canine teeth especially long. A low growl greeted them.

Fay, Sakura, Syaoran and Mokona had edged little by little to stand behind Kurogane.

"It's a dragon," Syaoran whispered in awe.

"Is it safe?" Sakura whispered back.

"I don't know. None of the books I've ever read have regarded dragons as something other than mythical beings."

Kurogane approached the beast with slow and cautious steps, much to the others' dismay. The dragon stayed immobile, but its eyes narrowed suspiciously. Kurogane made his way to it and held up his hands, to show that he meant no harm. Then he gently placed them over the creature's snout and stroked the dragon as he spoke soothing words to it. The beast closed its eyes and they heard a low noise emitting from its throat. They suddenly realized that it was purring!

The dragon nuzzled Kurogane happily as it continued to purr. Sakura, Syaoran, Fay and Mokona keeled over, sweat-dropping. They had definitely not expected something like this!

Kurogane turned to the surprised foursome, still stroking the dragon's scaly neck. "There's nothing to be afraid of," he told them, his voice tingling with excitement; a first, as far as they recalled. "She's perfectly harmless."

"And how can you be sure of that?" Fay asked him nervously.

"'Cause me and Firebolt are friends."

"Firebolt?"

"That's her name. It suits her, doesn't it? She can ride as fast as the wind, and her element is fire." He ran his fingers along her shiny scales. "She and I go way back." He turned to her. "Don't we?"

Firebolt continued to nuzzle him and she playfully nipped at his cloak. Kurogane chuckled softly.

"Wow!" Sakura gasped in amazement. "So how did you two meet?"

Kurogane tapped his chin thoughtfully with his forefinger. "Let's see... it was seven—no, closer to eight—years ago. I was traveling on this very route, bent on annihilating a certain Sembian daimyo who had tried to install spies in Shirasagi Castle." He frowned. "He had dispatched a sizeable band of brigands after me, and just when I had had enough of their tailing me, Firebolt suddenly swooped down from the sky and chased them away." He shrugged. "We've been friends ever since."

"It must be wonderful to be friends with a dragon." Sakura had gotten over her initial shyness and was smiling openly, her emerald-green eyes twinkling, as she gazed, enraptured, at Firebolt.

"Erm..." Fay raised his hand, as if he were in school. "Just out of curiosity, how come she seemed ready to devour us if you two are friends?"

The dragon exhaled irritably, small flames jutting out of her nostrils. Fay jumped back in alarm, hiding behind Syaoran and Sakura. Mokona peeked tentatively over Fay's mop of blond hair at the dragon.

Kurogane snorted. "She wasn't going to eat us. We were in her territory, so it was only natural for her to be suspicious at first. But as soon as I called her, she knew it was me, even though she was still apprehensive about you guys." He scratched his head. "I know I shoulda warned you about her, but it completely slipped my mind."

Firebolt sniffed disdainfully and eyed Kurogane reproachfully.

"I know, I know. Serves me right, eh?" he asked her.

Firebolt nodded once, and, lifting a wing, began to preen herself.

Syaoran's jaw dropped open in shock. "You can understand her?" he asked Kurogane almost inaudibly.

"Of course," Kurogane said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "I've known Firebolt for ages. And the dragon's tongue isn't that hard to learn at all since it's mostly body language anyway. Dragons are very intelligent and they can understand human speech, but their jaws aren't properly shaped to speak it themselves."

"But how come Moko-chan didn't translate, then?" Sakura wondered.

"I can't because she's not really talking with her mouth," Mokona explained with a small squeak. "She's talking in the manner of the dragon. With movements, expressions, and with her very being. It's a bit complicated."

"It's a shame," Kurogane noted. "It's really a rather concise and often quiet beautiful language. Dragons can be eloquent—even poetic—once you get used to having them speak to you without words."

"And what did she just tell you?" Syaoran asked him curiously.

"Basically, she just told me that it was very rude of me to have forgotten her." He turned to her and stroked her under her chin. "I wasn't even here these past four years," he explained, "so I couldn't have visited you even if I wanted to."

She paused in her preening and regarded him curiously, making a peculiar sound with her throat.

"You don't believe me." His voice sounded hurt.

She rolled her eyes, and, lifting her head, she snorted again, small flames emitting from her nostrils.

Sakura watched their exchange in fascination. How wonderful it must be to be able to talk with such a majestic and beautiful creature!

Kurogane sighed. "Listen, I can't tell you everything. It's a long story," he told the dragon in a quiet voice. "I was on a journey with them, traveling to different worlds."

Firebolt bent and nudged him with the tip of her nose slightly, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Well, to make a long story short, the girl's lost her memories. They were scattered to different dimensions in the forms of feathers and we've been trying to find them."

She tilted her head to one side, her green eyes lighting up suddenly.

"What?!" Kurogane gasped. "Are you sure?"

She nodded and chattered extensively in her throaty language.

"You have no idea how much you've helped, you know that?" Kurogane told her when she finished, stroking her snout in thanks.

Firebolt grinned, an act that made her seem fierce as she opened her muzzle to reveal her teeth slightly, and her look appeared smug.

Kurogane rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know. You're the most intelligent dragon I've ever met." He grinned in turn. "You never tire of hearing that, do you?" he asked her as he scratched her behind her ears.

Firebolt shook her head and purred again. She clicked her tongue and winked.

"I'll remember that," he promised her.

She surveyed the others and bowed her head to them. Not knowing what else to do, they bowed back. Satisfied, she nuzzled Kurogane once more in farewell. She turned her back to them and spread her large wings. After a few seconds, she was airborne. Kurogane's eyes followed her passage through the sky, until she had become a mere speck in his range of vision.

Fay stepped forward to stand beside Kurogane. He crossed his arms and grinned at him slyly. "Well, well, well. Imagine that."

"Imagine what?" Kurogane snapped. He did not like the look on Fay's face at all.

"A compassionate side to you I never thought possible existed." He turned to the others. "I never expected Kuro-chuu here to be consorting with dragons." He elbowed Kurogane with a wink. "Should we get word to Tomoyo-chan about this?" he asked the others.

The foursome burst out laughing, imagining the comic scene.

Kurogane gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, shaking with ill-suppressed rage. "When you've quite finished," he snarled at the lot of them. "I've got something really important to tell you guys. Though I doubt you're in any condition to hear me out just now."

Fay simply laughed even harder, clutching at his stomach, unlike the others who stopped, curious as to what Kurogane had to say.

"So what's so important?" Sakura asked him. "Does it have to do with what you and your dragon were discussing? You seemed pretty surprised about something."

Kurogane _tsked_. "Firstly, Firebolt is _not_ my dragon. She's not a pet. She's a friend," he told her. "Secondly, she told me things regarding your feather and the One Without Destiny."

_"What?!"_ Sakura, Syaoran, Mokona and Fay exclaimed. Their cheery moods soon vanished and were replaced by serious and questioning expressions. Even Fay had stopped laughing.

Kurogane nodded. "Yeah. As soon as I mentioned the feather, she told me that she and the other dragons had sensed something peculiar in the south about a year ago. They chose one of the smaller earth dragons to go and investigate, and he found out that a man had a feather that was sending off powerful magic vibes. The dragon realized that the feather was a human memory by reading the feather's essence. But they decided not to interfere; they don't really like humans, and since it was a human's memory, they left the man in peace."

"The man then is...?" Syaoran said slowly.

"The One Without Destiny," Kurogane confirmed. "Firebolt told me that he never removed his cloak. He was sending off his own magic vibes, meaning that he was some sort of magician. And recently, magic vibes in the south have been going haywire again. They suspect that the man tapped into the feather's powers to amplify his own."

Fay gasped in realization and snapped his fingers. "No wonder he escaped from Tomoyo-chan's magic dome! He used the feather's powers!"

"And that's why I haven't been able to pin down the vibes!" Mokona slapped its paw against its forehead. "Because he's been using it!"

Syaoran clenched his fists. "So now we know that he's using the feather. That means that we have to take it from him soon. Before he does anything else."

The others nodded.

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The sun rose soon after their meeting with Firebolt. It was a clear and cold morning, and although the sun shone brightly, it lacked greatly in warmth. Before breaking camp, Kurogane rummaged through his pack, producing nondescript articles of clothing.

"The clothes we're wearing are fine and all for travel, but it'd be best to change into these, to avoid people gawking at us. We'll hit a small trail soon that'll lead us back to the Highway. We'll also pass through a couple of villages and towns before we actually reach Sembia. It'll be faster once we reach the road."

"Just out of curiosity," Syaoran began, "since it's faster to travel on roads, how come we made such good time?"

Kurogane handed him a hakama, and, rummaging once more through his pack, said, "That's because the Highway's one huge curve. We simplified things by traveling straight through."

"Are these actually going to fit us?" Fay asked him dubiously as he held up the hakama he gave him. It seemed too short to Fay.

"They're just fine." He handed Sakura a deep-green kimono.

"How pretty! Do you know who made them?" Sakura asked him, admiring the plain, yet beautifully-woven design.

"Suzue did."

"Wow! Your sister's very talented!"

"I'll tell her that the next time I see her. She likes it when people admire her work." He tied up his pack. "She also told me that she'd like for you guys to keep them, as gifts."

"I most certainly will!" Sakura assured him. She seemed very excited about the kimono and rushed into the tent to change.

"So whose idea was it to wear disguises?" Fay asked as he continued to examine his hakama.

"Mine," said Kurogane. "It's a basic ninja rule. Always try to be inconspicuous when on a mission."

Fay turned to Syaoran, a mock expression of sadness on his face. "Well, Syaoran-kun," he said in a gloomy voice, "it looks like simple folk like you and me will never come to understand ninja."

Syaoran blinked while Fay tried to stifle his chuckles, and Kurogane rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Ta da!" Sakura exclaimed happily as she sprang out of the tent. She wore the green kimono, which fitted her perfectly, bringing out her green eyes. She twirled around twice and giggled shyly. "How do I look?"

"You look great!" Mokona squealed.

"Hyu! You're blooming, Sakura-chan!" Fay clapped.

Syaoran flushed red and choked, "You look very nice."

Kurogane simply grunted.

After they had all changed and eaten, they broke camp, and continued their trek at a loping canter, trudging through the slush. Soon, they left the rocky wasteland and came across fallow fields covered in white snow.

They passed through a village, and Kurogane was satisfied that they blended right in with the general populace, for no one gave them a second glance. They soon reached the Highway and continued speedily upon it, finally reaching the large city of Sembia close to sunset. They approached the massive city gates, and two gate guards emerged from the nearby gatehouse. One of them stepped forward, placing himself directly into their path. "Stop!" he said shrilly, holding up one hand. "State your business in Sembia."

Kurogane pulled his horse to a stop about four feet from him, the others following suit. "I'm a wine-merchant," he lied glibly. "I'm expecting my supply wagons to pass through here in a few days. In the meantime, I'd be most grateful if you could direct me to a respectable inn." He smiled encouragingly at the man.

The guard frowned, thinking hard. "The most respectable inn I can think of is the _Dragon's Den_," he responded after a few moments.

"And where can I find it?"

"Just continue along this street to reach the Main Square and turn to the right. You can't miss it."

Kurogane rummaged through a small pouch at his side and produced three coins. The guard's eyes brightened at the sight of the money. "Thank you for the information," Kurogane said as he tossed the coins to him.

The guard caught all three coins and held them tightly in his fist. "Good evening to you, sir," he bowed his head in thanks. He quickly stuffed the coins in his pocket, for the other guard was eyeing him greedily.

"And to you," Kurogane nodded, urging his mount forward at a trot, the others trailing along behind him.

"Smooth," Fay complimented him as soon as they were well out of earshot of the two guards. He drew up his mount next to Kurogane's. "I never thought you could even use dignified speech without choking on it."

Kurogane pointedly ignored him, wearing one of his more prominent expressions.

Fay chuckled. "Plus, I never thought you capable of such an act," he added.

"What kind of act?" Kurogane asked him waspishly, but with a hint of curiosity.

"An act of deception," Fay answered with a small smile. "You almost seemed like a different person back there. The way you lied to the gatekeeper was sheer poetry!"

"We ninja are supposed to know how to assume different identities, to trick and deceive others, in order to achieve our ends." Kurogane shrugged. "It's a basic ninja rule. And the better you play, the longer you survive."

"Sounds harsh."

"It's a reality."

Although it was late, the streets of the large city were packed. People were scurrying about doing last-minute shopping, and dealers were trying to sell their goods in vain. Kurogane brought his horse to a stop before a food vendor's stall, which was situated at the mouth of an alleyway.

The vendor's eyes lightened, hopeful that he had found a possible buyer. But before he could even think about suggesting that the tall rider purchase some scrumptious apples, he was brutally brought back to reality by his harsh words.

"You," Kurogane said in the most insulting tone he could manage. "I require directions to a tavern called the _Red Rose_."

The vendor blinked, flushing with anger.

"Are you deaf, man?" Kurogane snarled.

The vendor started nervously. "Continue up this street for about five minutes," he mumbled. "Once you reach the Main Square, take the left turn and keep on going until you reach the East Square. Then take the right turn, and then, at the second street, take the left turn. You'll find it there. It's got a painted red rose on the door."

Kurogane sniffed ungraciously and tossed a few coins at his feet. He whirled his horse in an imperial manner, continuing along the street at a trot, the others right behind them.

Syaoran's eyebrows rose so high that they almost disappeared in his hair. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw that the vendor looked outraged, but he _did_ grope in the snow for the coins Kurogane had thrown. Syaoran nudged his horse forward to walk beside Kurogane. "What was _that_ all about?" he asked incredulously.

Kurogane smirked. "Just putting on airs," he replied. "If anyone happens to be looking for us and they describe me, they'll be getting numerous personality descriptions, so they'll have no idea who or what to believe."

Fay clapped appreciatively. "Hyu! Kuro-pippi's even more devious than I thought!"

"I said that I'd make sure I'd hide our passage, didn't I?"

"You certainly did!" Mokona squeaked, peeking over the rim of Fay's hooded cloak.

Fay stuffed Mokona back in, looking around to see if anyone had noticed it. "You're not supposed to be seen," he reminded it in a low voice.

They continued along the street for a while, weaving through the passers-by. Kurogane suddenly stiffened, feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. His instincts were telling him that they were being watched. He casually stretched while chancing a glance to his left. Sure enough, in the darkness of one of the closed stores, a dark figure wrapped in a tattered mantle was regarding them steadily. Then the watcher flickered, and vanished.

Kurogane started and turned in the saddle to see where the cloaked person had gone. But there was no trace of him. It was as if he had disappeared into thin air. Turning forward again, Kurogane frowned. Could it have been the One Without Destiny?

"What's wrong?" Syaoran asked him in a low voice.

"Someone was watching us," he whispered back, "but he disappeared."

"Disappeared?"

"He was there one second ago, and then the next he wasn't."

Fay frowned. "I felt something just now," he muttered. "A whisper of magic."

"I felt it, too," Sakura agreed.

"The One Without Destiny?" Syaoran demanded.

"We can't talk about stuff like that in the middle of the street," Kurogane growled. "Hang on 'till we get to the inn." He urged his horse onward.

After a few minutes they finally reached the Main Square. It was obvious that there had been a market earlier that day, for the rubbish proclaimed such, and a few stalls were still open, their vendors hopeful that they could still snag a purchaser.

The square was surrounded by imposing buildings, but the largest by far was the _Dragon's Den_, situated at the right. Sure enough, a sign of a dragon hung upon the arch leading into the neat courtyard, and to the left of the inn were fairly large stables, somehow attached to the wall. Kurogane turned to them. "Just follow my lead," he warned them in a hurried whisper. "We can't afford any mistakes." His voice was dead-serious, causing them each to feel somewhat nervous.

They dismounted and led their horses through the gateway and into the small courtyard. They tied them at a small post by the door, taking their packs, and Kurogane pushed the door open, letting himself in. The others followed him and they found themselves in a brightly-lit corridor. A large desk was situated by the entrance, and a bored-looking girl was leaning her elbows upon it, her head in her hands. She had dark skin, sky-blue eyes, and had her bushy light-pink hair held up in a high ponytail. She wore a plain ivory-colored kimono with red designs, which matched her large spherical earrings. As soon as they entered, she looked up and straightened. "Welcome to the _Dragon's Den_," she greeted them enthusiastically, with a huge smile adorning her face. "What might you four need?"

"Stabling for three mounts and rooms for lodging," Kurogane promptly answered her. "We plan to stay for a few days."

She flipped through a large book in front of her. "We have four rooms with one bed in each, two rooms with two beds in each, and one room with four beds." She looked up. "Which would you prefer?"

Kurogane raised his eyebrows. "That depends on the price," he replied blandly.

She chuckled. "Of course. For one room it's two silvers and five coppers, for two rooms it's four silvers and ten coppers, and for four rooms it's eight silvers or one gold and three silvers."

"And the stabling?"

"That depends on the size of your mounts."

"They're three horses."

"Hmm..." She flipped through the book again. "Six silvers. Or one gold and one silver."

Kurogane frowned. "I see." He pursed his lips in speculation. "We'll take the two rooms."

"And would you like your meals in your rooms or in the common room?" she prompted.

"We'll eat in the common room."

"Very well," she said. "The price in total is two golds and ten coppers for a total of twenty-four hours." She picked up a small brush and dipped it in a pot. She scribbled in the book with it. "And your name...?"

"Kumaso Fujimoto."

She jotted down his name. "All right..." she muttered. She put down the brush. "Wait a moment, and I'll call the groom to stable your horses." She disappeared through a small door behind the desk.

Fay let out his breath explosively. "Another look-alike! Caldina-san looks exactly like she did back in Outo. Even the earrings remain!"

"Why did she seem disappointed when you said that we'd eat in the common room?" Sakura asked Kurogane curiously.

"That's because the price would've been higher if we took private meals. But we'd draw more attention that way."

Caldina bustled back, accompanied by a tall man with a heavy jaw and thick eyebrows, whom they recognized as Kusanagi, also from Outo Country. He smiled in welcome and bowed politely before going outside and leading their mounts to the stables.

Caldina turned back to them. "Just follow me and I'll take you to your rooms." She passed through the hallway past a brightly lit room, where long tables were situated. A number of people were seated at various places around the tables, enjoying their meals. Caldina, however, did not lead them there. She turned to the left, and started climbing a narrow staircase. She led them to the second floor, where the sleeping quarters were situated.

"Here we are," she said as she stopped before two doors, drawing out two keys. "These are your rooms. You can leave your belongings here and go straight to the common room for a bite to eat. No matter what time of day it is, you'll be able to snack on something. The common room's always open." Handing the keys to Kurogane, she left.

"You didn't have doors like these back at Shirasagi," Fay noted. "Your doors slid open, but these doors have hinges."

"Semba and Nihon are two totally different civilizations," Kurogane explained, trying out one of the keys on the first door. "Some rumors say that they were barbarians that came across the sea and invaded our lands, which is why our cultures are so different."

"While others are like the myth you told us with the Two Towers?" Syaoran asked.

"Uh-huh. In such cases, I choose not to believe in anything." Kurogane finally managed to unlock the door with the second key, and he indicated that the others enter before him with a nod of his head. He entered last and firmly closed the door behind him.

His eyes scanned the room. It was a relatively small and plain room with two simple sleeping pallets and a small window with deep-blue curtains. The walls were white and bare, and the floor was made out of wood. "Adequate," he sniffed. He tossed his pack in a corner and went to the window. Opening it, he poked his head out. The window looked out onto the courtyard, where the stables were. He drew his head back in and closed the window. He pulled the curtains over them, making sure that they hid them from unfriendly eyes on the road. He turned to the others.

"Okay. We need to devise a plan." He clasped his hands behind his back. "I think I'll continue the wine-merchant impersonation with that fake name I gave her. The fact that we chose two rooms also fits. A merchant isn't too stingy, but he's not exactly wasteful. Perfect."

"So what'll that make us?" Fay asked.

Kurogane's eyes rose to the ceiling in thought. "We could say that you're my porter... and that the kid's my apprentice whom I'm attempting to instruct in the rudiments of the trade."

Fay's eyes lit up. "And what does a porter do?"

Kurogane smirked. "You carry my luggage around."

Fay's spark of enthusiasm quickly faded. "I guess I deserve that for calling you my servant back in Jade Country, eh?" he chuckled.

"Yep."

"And what will I do?" Sakura asked him.

"Well, we can't really say that you're a servant," he mused. "We can say that you're my little sister. You're accompanying me for a change of scenery." Kurogane started pacing about the room. "We've got a serious problem, though. That guy I saw before was wearing a cloak."

"The One Without Destiny?" Syaoran demanded.

"No," Fay shook his head. "I can recognize his power-flows from when he had possessed Dai-ouji and Kazuo-san. These flows were different."

"Then this guy I saw was someone else," Kurogane stated.

"Another of Fei Wang's henchmen?" Syaoran suggested.

"Or someone entirely different."

"Who?"

"Beats me," Kurogane shrugged.

Fay stood up and peered behind the curtain. The sky had darkened, and a steady drizzle now rained upon the rooftops. "Both Sakura-chan and I sensed the presence of magic," he mused. "I don't know if this person might be working for Fei Wang or for the One Without Destiny, but we can be safe to assume that he's a mage and that he wants something from us."

"But what?" Sakura wondered.

"I don't know." Fay turned from the window. "And we can't do anything without more leads." He thoughtfully twirled a tuft of his blond hair around his forefinger. "If we get back there tomorrow, Sakura-chan could try to sense his life-force, like she did with Kazuo-san's pendant."

Sakura nodded. "I'll try my best," she declared.

Kurogane removed his heavy cloak and hung it upon a peg on the wall. "But what about the One Without Destiny?" He turned to them. "We know that he wants me and the wizard dead, and wants the kids for some reason or other. The only way to put a stop to him is to find out his weaknesses."

"But we don't know anything about him," Sakura protested.

Fay looked up. "But we know that he's getting desperate. He used Kazuo-san, and then he used those mercenaries. And now this guy Kuro-pii saw before... he _could_ be some sort of spy for him. I'm betting that something's probably going to happen soon." He put his hand to his chin. "But instead of using magic, he's also sending people after us..."

"So?" Kurogane said. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Actually, it's very important," Fay disagreed. "It shows that he's got a weakness." He crossed his arms. "Each time the One Without Destiny taps into the feather's powers, he weakens."

"How'd you reach _that_ conclusion?"

Fay winked hugely at Kurogane. "Elementary, my dear Kuro-wan. Elementary."

Kurogane scowled at him, his hands at his sides.

Fay ignored him and continued. "Each practitioner of magic can become stronger with study, practice, and time," he explained. "If someone boosts his powers without those three necessary factors, he quickly becomes exhausted, because his body didn't have a chance to adapt to the sudden changes magic demands. It's actually a very tricky and risky process. So that's probably why he's using the feather sparingly and why he's also depending on mundane means to get at us."

"Mundane? There was nothing mundane about the cloaked person Kurogane-san saw," Sakura protested. "I felt strong power."

"Granted, but we can't do anything about that guy just now. We need more leads."

"Then there's not much more we can say," Kurogane concluded.

They suddenly heard a loud growl.

"What was that?!" Mokona squeaked.

Fay chuckled sheepishly. "Erm... that was me," he admitted. "I'm starving!"

Kurogane, Sakura and Syaoran sweat-dropped. Fay's stomach rumbling had been _very_ loud.

Mokona giggled, "Ufufufu!"

———————————————

The next morning was decidedly wet and dreary. Last night's snow-rain had rendered the streets slushy and slippery. Sakura and Fay had gone back to the place where Kurogane had seen the cloaked man, and Kurogane and Syaoran were currently acting out their parts as a wine-merchant and his apprentice.

Basically, the two of them were supposedly inquiring about the price of wine at that time of year, just in case they were being watched. They passed numerous booths and stalls that lined the street, the merchants calling at the passers-by, imploring them to stop and look at merchandise.

"They sound almost desperate," Syaoran observed.

"They're greedy," Kurogane told him. "Any seller hates to see customers get away." His eyes fell upon a booth with various decanters and bottles. "And here's a 'colleague'," he muttered sourly. He approached the wine-merchant and discussed in a light manner with him for a few minutes. Then he turned to Syaoran, and, with a nod, they set off again.

"You seem to know a lot about wine," Syaoran commented, referring to the questions Kurogane had asked the merchant, which had seemed highly professional to him.

"Not really. The whole point is the cost. You have to know how much something is really worth, and then you have to price it just right. That's how you deal with merchants. 'Cause if they overprice, they don't sell much, and if they price lower, there'll be no profit."

"You must've learned a lot during your training. You could've convinced anyone back there that you had been a wine-merchant for years."

"It's not really that difficult. It's all part of the training we receive. When disguising yourself with an alternate identity, you need to assume everything about it."

"What exactly do you learn in training?" he asked him curiously.

Kurogane scratched at his chin. "Ninja training takes seven years in total. From thirteen 'till twenty years old, we refine our martial arts and sword-fighting—skills that we'd mostly learned beforehand. But additional things we learn include stealth, espionage, disguise, and high endurance. We also learn various special techniques."

"It all seems very involved."

"Not as much as for samurai. All we ninja do is obey and protect the Princess, and sometimes, we're entrusted with certain matters of state. Samurai do that, too, but they follow this code of honor called the 'Bushido'—something like martial ethics. I'm not really sure what it's all about, but if they stray from it, they commit a ritualistic suicide by slicing open their stomachs."

"Peculiar."

"Tell me about it. That means that there are limits as to what they can do. We ninja aren't as narrow-minded. That's one of the reasons why the Personal Guard consists of ninja and not samurai."

Syaoran nodded solemnly. "But it still seems pretty complicated," he admitted.

Kurogane shot him a small, crooked smile. "I guess. But that's just the way things are." He then frowned angrily. "These damn streets are so packed that you can't tell if someone's following you or not by sensing auras."

"Aren't we going to check out the tavern sometime?" Syaoran asked him in a hushed voice.

"Only regular drunkards frequent taverns before evening," Kurogane told him as he scanned the cluttered street before him. "We can't do anything yet." He clapped Syaoran on the shoulder and led him toward another stall. "Now let's go talk to this other wine-merchant. It's about time you start 'learning' about the 'trade'."

———————————————

The sound of a crystal decanter clinked against the rim of a small goblet. A servant filled it to the brim with red wine and put the decanter back on a small table close-by. She handed the crystal goblet with a bow to a man sitting on a huge throne, and, with another bow, she left the room.

He raised the goblet to his lips. "Quaint," he muttered after a sip. His eyes then fell upon the woman before him.

The woman in question nervously played with the hem of her frilly dress. She had curly black hair that reached her waist, with two buns tied at the top of her head. She wore a red symbol around the left bun, and the same symbol decorated the bosom of her black dress. Her dress fit her tightly to her waist, where it puffed out, and she wore long black gloves that completely covered her arms. The petticoat of her dress was a deep purple color, and the hem of her dress was short in the front, revealing a part of her thighs, and it climbed down around her, reaching her knees in length in the back. She lastly wore high-heeled black boots that reached to midthigh.

She knew that the man was angry, even though he was doing a very good job of concealing it. She avoided looking into his eyes. Although she knew that his anger was not directed at her, she feared him somewhat.

The man's eyes then fell upon a large round mirror on the wall across him. It was gray and static ran across it. He suddenly threw the crystal goblet against the wall above it. The goblet shattered, and red wine splashed against the mirror, dripping down slowly. "I can't see them at all!" he bellowed furiously.

"It is because they have moved out of your reach, Fei Wang," the woman explained timidly. "The mirror has shown us nothing for some time now."

"I thought that if I sent him after them..." Fei Wang clenched his fists. "He's taking much too long."

"But at least he's spying on them for us, and sending us reports on his progress," she pointed out.

Fei Wang stood up abruptly. "But who can guarantee us that he's reliable?" He had stiff black hair flecked with gray streaks and sideburns. He wore a monocle upon his right eye and he was dressed in a long black robe with purple piping about the rim of his high collar. The ends of his sleeves were olive-colored, as was the wide collar of his robes, which draped about his shoulders, tied at the end with a red tassel with a purple bead. His robes were emblazoned with the same dark-red symbol the woman bore. "I should have left it to my faithful servant," he growled as he sat down again.

The woman turned, and her gaze fell upon the archway that led to the dark room with the glowing yellow ideograms inscribed upon the walls. In a tube of blue-green light floated a figure with red markings upon his limbs. "But you said that the control has to be gradual," she reminded him. "He cannot penetrate the adolescent's awareness all at once, or he'll be destroyed."

Fei Wang nodded. "If the change is slow, it will be all the more easier for Syaoran to be overwhelmed in the end," he added. He reached for the decanter upon the table.

"And the others?"

"Hopefully, our agent will be able to capture the children and dispose of the adults." He filled another goblet with wine.

"But you had said that the ninja and the wizard are powerful adversaries," she protested. "And the Prophecy—"

"Pah!" he spat. "Damn the Prophecy." He drank deeply. "It means nothing to me. It is only a well of useless information."

The woman frowned. She was not of the same opinion.

"But..." he said thoughtfully, tapping his heavy chin with his forefinger. He then laughed out loud, but it was a laugh devoid of mirth. "...the Prophecy is not entirely useless." He turned to her, an evil glint in his eyes. "Without it, I would have had no idea about the true origins of Kurogane."

The woman nodded. "And with the power of the mirror, we were able to see the ninja's past."

"Exactly." Fei Wang frowned, his brow furrowing. A plan began to form in his mind. And it was very appealing to him. "When you meet our agent in a few days and he gives you his usual report, you will have to tell him about our additional findings." He slammed the goblet upon the table. "And he will have to act."

The woman's dark eyes widened. "So soon?" she asked him, startled.

"I'm getting impatient. Tell him that he is to capture the children, and cause them no harm whatsoever. I want them whole and intact." His expression was positively malevolent. "He can do what he wants with the adults, only after he torments them in my way first. I want them to suffer before the end."

"And what way is that?" she asked, a trace of fear in her question.

"I want Fay to relive his most painful memories." A wry smile tugged at his lips. "He will be easy. He already has many fears concerning his king. And then he can continue to torment him in any way he wants, as long as it results in his death. Kurogane, however, is another matter." He joined his hands and looked at her inquiringly. "Any suggestions?"

The woman was reluctant to answer at first. She thought of something, something that would cause Kurogane great pain, but she decided on another idea instead. "Perhaps... if the truth about his past was revealed to him?" she suggested tentatively.

Fei Wang started, then laughed out again. "Of course! What better way to defeat him than to reduce him to a bemused and disoriented shadow of his former self? Brilliant, Xing Huo. Brilliant." He took another sip from his goblet and smacked his lips. "Our agent will be able to use his magic and show Kurogane _exactly_ what happened. Then he'll be able to defeat him."

Xing Huo's eyebrows creased. "But will the ninja be weakened enough?"

Fei Wang looked at her sharply. "What do you mean?"

Xing Huo bit her lower lip nervously. "The ninja does not usually give into threats. He will think that he is being tricked."

Fei Wang's grin was malicious, and his next words dripped venom. "Rest assured, Xing Huo. I guarantee you that he will believe him." He drained his goblet. "For how can he deny the truth?"

§·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·§

**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** Ta... da...! Finally, an insight on the villains. Okay, you guys might be wondering about this... yeah, some stuff's unclear and all, but everything will be revealed soon enough. Be patient! Good things take time, right?

Let's see... Firebolt is a cross between an eastern and western dragon. Don't take for granted what I say about her language and stuff, though. That's all me. And... I think you guys know where that name came from, eh? I had half a mind to scrap the whole dragon scene, but then it would clash with something in future chapters... you'll see!

Fay's little quote about 'elementary.' Well, would it help to tell you that the original goes, _"Elementary, my dear Watson?"_ Sherlock Holmes, haha. Oh, and stuff that Kurogane mentions to Syaoran about training is basically true. I just expand on it. Yes, samurai would slice open their bellies if they didn't obey the Bushido. I think we anime/manga fanatics are already aware of that, though, eh?

Some general stuff on traveling, inns, taverns, and basically stuff from that sort of timeline were taken from a number of my favorite fantasy writers. Amongst them are David Eddings, L.E. Modesitt, Jr., Raymond E. Feist, and various others.

In my opinion, Eddings is a good way to get into the fantasy genre; nice and simple, and not too complex. I still think _The Belgariad_ and _The Malloreon_ are his best works. Everything else he's made is just too... bland and repetitive, gah. Pisses me off. Feist's _The Riftwar Saga_ is nice to continue with; he's more advanced than Eddings, and quite enjoyable. I find him too ostentatious sometimes, though, but oh, well, we can't have everything in life.

Above all others, however, Modesitt is the best, and I'm not just saying that because I'm nice. He's always so new and fresh, and his stories always have original ideas! He builds up slowly and steadily with stupendous climaxes at the end! And he makes me think! I like that a lot in a writer. XD

I don't think I've forgotten anything else... I suppose I rambled a bit with my fantasy writers, but I think it's justified in this case. I promise the rest of my A/Ns will be shorter.

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	13. Discoveries

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 13 — Discoveries**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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"I couldn't find out who the person Kurogane-san saw was," Sakura told them in a despondent tone as the four of them climbed down the stairs and entered the inn's common room. She hung her head. "I'm sorry," she apologized meekly. "I tried as hard as I could, but I didn't sense anything that could have helped us."

They settled in a secluded corner of the common room where a small table was situated to eat lunch. Kurogane and Syaoran had just gotten back from acting out their disguises to find that Sakura and Fay had already returned about an hour before them. So the four of them had decided to discuss quietly about their findings during their meal (Mokona had to be left upstairs, for it would attract too much attention). Kurogane had told them that it would be absolutely normal for them to talk over lunch, because most business talks were conducted over meals anyway. Fay had grinned at this, and had asked him curiously if he thought of their mission as 'business.' Kurogane had resisted the temptation to punch him and had replied with a curt grunt, meaning that Fay had suspected right.

Sakura sat on the cushion beside the wall and sighed heavily. Fay sat down beside her and patted her shoulder comfortingly. "That's all right, Sakura-chan." He smiled encouragingly at her. "He must've been very powerful to be able to mask his life-force."

Syaoran slipped in the place across from Sakura and Kurogane sat beside him. "How powerful is he, then?" Syaoran asked Fay curiously.

Fay shrugged. "I can hazard a guess, but I may be wide off the mark, for all I know. All I can say for sure is that we're dealing with someone very powerful here. Not even the One Without Destiny could hide his life-force when possessing Dai-ouji and Kazuo-san."

He was not allowed to say anything else, for Caldina hurried over to their table, carrying a circular tray. "Hi, guys!" She winked at them hugely as she placed a bottle of saké and four glasses on their table, also leaving them a jug of fresh water. "I hope you'll enjoy the wine, Kumaso-kun," she said to Kurogane with a grin. "Since you're the expert, you can tell me if it's good."

Caldina had first served on them last night, and she had jovially introduced herself, insisting that they not use formalities. It turned out (thanks to Fay making friendly conversation) that she was something of a manager around the _Dragon's Den_, and took care of just about everything. Her favorite pastimes were serving on people and getting to know them better; she simply loved to interact. She waited expectantly for Kurogane to try the wine, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Kurogane poured himself some saké and took a sip. He shrugged. "It's not bad," he grunted.

Caldina beamed. "That's a relief! I would've been very put out with Karen-chan if she hadn't let it set long enough to ferment!" She elbowed Fay and winked. "She prefers cooking, so knowing her, she'd probably leave it all to her new helper... although she isn't much of a help, to be frank. She's notoriously forgetful and absent-minded."

"Really?" Fay asked with a wry smile as his eyes flitted to Kurogane. "I think I know exactly how you feel, Caldina-chan. Having someone fearfully forgetful, I mean. Sometimes, Kumaso-kun here would forget his head if it weren't for us!"

Kurogane scowled as Caldina exploded into peals of silvery laughter. She patted Fay's back as she said, "Masayo-kun, your humor's like nothing I've ever seen!"

"I try," Fay said modestly, buffing his nails on his shirt.

This just sent Caldina into another gale of laughter. "Well," she said after calming down slightly, "I guess you four're starving, aren't ya?"

"Pretty much," Fay confessed, flashing a grin.

"'Kay then, I'll be right back," she chirped happily as she turned from them, literally strutting down the aisle. Many heads turned as she passed—the majority of them men—as they furtively checked her out. A number of women wore expressions of great distaste on their faces, and some of them even went so far as to scowl at their male companions. One even had the nerve to elbow the man beside her in the ribs, and judging by the poor fellow's expression, it had been a pretty well-aimed hit.

"Caldina-chan seems more provocative than in Outo, doesn't she?" Fay mused. His eyes followed her as she passed the double doors into the kitchens, calling for Karen to make more fried tofu (hollering, actually).

"What the hell was all that chitchat for?" Kurogane asked him in a sour tone.

"Groundwork," Fay replied with a mysterious smile as he reached for the bottle of saké. "It never hurts to open channels of communication, right?"

"But didn't you do that last night already?" Syaoran asked him curiously, arching a confused eyebrow. "You know... when she first served on us."

Fay shot him a grin. "Sure I did! But we need to keep at it, don't we? It'd look suspicious if we suddenly stopped talking to Caldina-chan." He poured himself a healthy portion of the wine. "What were we saying? Ah, yes. So, this mage here is probably more powerful than the One Without Destiny. And that's not counting the times the latter's used the feather." He sipped tentatively and his face lit up. "Good wine," he said approvingly.

"Then the question we should be asking is what this mage wants with us," Syaoran stated firmly, continuing their discussion. "He could be working for Fei Wang and the One Without Destiny, but then again, he could be someone who has nothing whatsoever to do with them and want something else from us."

"But what?" Sakura interjected. "If the mage is acting on his own, then is he after my memories, too?"

Fay shrugged. "I have no idea, Sakura-chan." He leaned forward and rested his forearms upon the table's rough surface, trying to find a more comfortable position on the hard cushion he sat on. "So what did you two do this morning?" he asked Syaoran and Kurogane suddenly.

Kurogane shrugged. "Just acting out our roles," he said in a low voice as his eyes darted about the room, making sure that no one was listening in on them. "We didn't find anything suspicious, but that's probably 'cause we weren't really looking."

Fay scratched the tip of his nose thoughtfully. "Sakura-chan and I didn't do much, either," he admitted. "We tried to trace down where the mage came from and where he disappeared to, but nothing doing."

"Did you two actually perform magic on the street?!" Syaoran demanded anxiously in a hushed voice.

Fay burst out laughing. "Oh, no! Goodness me, that would've been a catastrophe!" Once he had regained his breath and a few shreds of his composure, he explained. "We were pretending to be looking at the goods displayed in one of the shop's windows. Sakura-chan tried to detect the mage's life-force, but she couldn't. Instead, she subtly probed the area the way I told her to and found the faint traces of some sort of protective shield he had fashioned."

Sakura nodded glumly. "I've never met such power before."

"And you most likely never will," Fay added darkly. He drummed his fingers upon the table, contemplating the matter. "There's something strange about this mage, though. He's too powerful to be ordinary. And the fact that he used that shield and was spying on us only goes to show that he knows us." He drained his drink. "But we can't do anything about him, except keep our eyes peeled just in case we see him again. It won't do to dwell on the matter 'cause we'll just keep on repeating the same things. Since we _know_ nothing about him, I suggest we _do_ nothing about him, until more information comes our way."

Kurogane shook his head with a _tsk_. "I'm not too keen on the idea of having to look over my shoulder every time I walk down the street," he grumbled irritably.

"Then don't," Fay grinned. "Sense the mage's aura," he said, assuming an all-knowing expression and waving his hand before him slowly, as if he were acting out the role of a narrator in a play, using movements for a grand effect. His quite accurate imitation of a mystic caused Sakura and Syaoran to double over with laughter, and Fay also joined in, pleased at this warm reception of his acting abilities.

"Easier said than done," Kurogane hissed through clenched teeth, annoyed at Fay's usual frivolous manner. His scarlet eyes narrowed and he folded his arms over his chest. "That so-called mage didn't have an aura," he said bluntly. "It was only because of my instincts that I noticed him."

"He's trickier than I thought, then. Kuro-min is also a very well-trained ninja!" Fay plucked the bottle and poured some more wine in his glass again. "But we honestly can't do anything about this mage at the moment, Kuro-tan," he said in a matter-of-fact voice. "We need more leads."

"I hate to say it... but you're right," Kurogane grunted sullenly.

"Of course I'm right! I'm always right!" Fay grinned.

"I wouldn't go _that_ far," Kurogane mumbled in an undertone.

Fay either did not hear him, or he simply chose to ignore him. "So for now, let's just sit back and relaaaax!"

He made to fill Syaoran's glass with saké, as well, but Kurogane firmly placed his hand over it. "No alcohol for the kids," he stated in a tone indicating that there would be no room for argument.

Fay took on a sly look as he corked the bottle and took a small sip from his glass. He put it down and smacked the palms of his hands together, a pleading expression on his face. "Please, Daddy," he whined, ignoring the deadly look of daggers the ninja shot him. "Lift the drinking ban just this once!" His protuberant blue eyes shone brightly. _"Pleaaaaase!"_

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that!" Kurogane grated.

"But it's so much fun," Fay grinned in earnest. "Nothing causes me more joy than to watch your face assume all of those delightful expressions of exasperation and bottled-up anger!"

Kurogane groaned and gripped at his hair in aggravation. "I'll kill him," he muttered. "One day I won't hold back and I'll kill him."

Fay's hearing was very sharp, and he heard Kurogane with stunning clarity, proving that he had only ignored the ninja before. "Why, Kuro-rin!" Fay gasped in mock shock. "What a horrible thing to suggest!"

_Horrible, but would grant me immense satisfaction_, Kurogane thought vehemently as he glowered at Fay, clenching his teeth together so hard that they would surely break if he applied more pressure.

Fay pouted. "You don't react so violently to my other names for you," he pointed out. "What's the matter with 'Daddy'?"

Kurogane did not answer as he extended his arm and snatched the wine bottle. He sloshed some in his glass and banged the bottle back on the table loudly. He downed the drink in one go, and then reached for the saké once more, filling his glass again.

Fay raised an eyebrow. "Okaaay... it looks like you don't want to talk about it," he assumed carefully.

"I sure as hell don't," Kurogane retorted angrily as he was about to quaff off his third glass of wine.

"But you're using your father's name as an alias."

"That's only because the names sound the same," Kurogane snapped. "'_Ku_rogane' and '_Ku_maso'. Get it?" He gulped his saké down noisily and refilled his glass.

Syaoran and Sakura sweat-dropped nervously. It impressed them that Kurogane could drink so quickly and so much without anything happening to him, even though they knew that he never got drunk.

Fay's brow furrowed as he stared at Kurogane, curiosity written plainly on his face. He suddenly cracked him a broad smile. "Aaah... wait a minute! I think I know what the problem is now!" He closed one eye and assumed a kittenish expression. "Kuro-bun's afraid of becoming a father!" he deduced with a sly grin.

Kurogane had the glass to his lips at that point, and, inhaling a large amount of saké, he went into an extended fit of choking, coughing and spluttering.

"Are you all right, Kurogane-san?" Sakura asked him in alarm.

The ninja emerged a few moments later from his glass, his face sopping wet with sticky wine. He was wearing a deadly expression. _"What—did—you—just—say?" _he hissed through clenched teeth in a voice so quiet and menacing, that Sakura and Syaoran would have fled for their lives if they could have gotten up from the table.

Fay was unperturbed by the threatening atmosphere. He thrust his fist into the air with a jubilant exclamation of, "Hyu! I knew it! That's it, isn't it?"

Kurogane said nothing as he rapidly turned red with anger, his crimson eyes aflame with fury. With stiff movements, he pulled out a handkerchief and mopped up his dripping face.

"You _are_ serious about this little thing going on between you and Tomoyo-chan, aren't you?" Fay asked him pointedly as he drank some of his saké.

Kurogane's jaw dropped open as his already flushed cheeks turned even redder. He mumbled something inarticulate as he closed his hand over the soaking handkerchief, forming a fist, stress marks all over his face. The words 'bastard' and 'throttle' were clearly heard, however.

"What was that, Kuro-tako?" Fay asked him cheerfully. "I must admit that I didn't hear you!"

Kurogane slammed his fist upon the table. "Shut the hell up!" he fumed, his intimidating blood-red eyes practically bulging. He furiously stuffed the handkerchief back into the front of his robes as he snatched the wine bottle and filled his glass again.

"Then you aren't serious about her?" Fay asked with a mocking smile, leaning his chin upon one hand, and absently fiddling with the stem of his wine glass with the other.

Syaoran swallowed hard upon seeing Kurogane's expression. It was very uncomfortable having someone beside you seethe with anger. Especially if that someone was a very pissed off ninja who was more than capable of committing murder. He pressed himself flat against the wall, trying to put as much space between himself and Kurogane as he could manage. Syaoran had a funny feeling that he would start shouting his head off before long, despite the fact that they had to be unobtrusive.

Kurogane was trying very hard to control his trembling hands, which very dearly wanted to wind themselves about the sordid wizard's throat and strangle him. "Shut up," he growled in a strained voice, the cords of his neck standing out. "Just shut your damn mouth for once in your frigging life." To keep his hands busy, he drained his drink again.

"I merely asked you if you're serious about your relationship with Tomoyo-chan," Fay said innocently in his defense, taking a sip from his glass.

"Do you have a death wish?" Kurogane demanded in a flat voice.

"Not really." Fay cracked him a broad grin. "So, _are_ you afraid of becoming a father?" he pressed.

Kurogane gaped at him incredulously. His eye twitched.

"Well, you _are_ making a big fuss about it," Fay pointed out, half-shrugging.

Syaoran and Sakura took one look at each other, and, without exchanging a single word, they both simultaneously stuffed their fingers in their ears, expecting Kurogane to blow his top at any moment.

Kurogane's lips were pressed together so tightly that his mouth resembled an extremely thin line, and his expression was livid. He grabbed the bottle of wine with jerky movements, for he was still trying with all his might to control himself. "Since this issue clearly doesn't involve you in any way, you've got no right to be prying into such private matters," he snarled, seeing that Fay was not about to be put off anytime soon without some sort of an explanation. "It's something between me and Tomoyo, so leave me the hell alone already." He then drank straight from the bottle, hoping that the saké would manage to soothe his rage somewhat.

Fay nearly burst out laughing again, imagining Kurogane suggesting something of that nature to Tomoyo (or maybe even Tomoyo taking the initiative to mention it), hurriedly covering his mouth with his hands. Fay's shoulders shook as he laughed silently, his face contorted with glee as he rocked back and forth.

But he could not continue laughing thus silently, and he finally cracked.

_"AHAHAHAHAHA!"_ Fay howled with mirth as he desperately clutched at his stomach, causing most of the customers to turn their heads at the commotion and look at the four of them curiously.

Kurogane exhaled and slapped his forehead. "Oh, hell. There he goes again." He quaffed off the rest of the saké in the bottle, pointedly ignoring the imbecilic wizard.

But all he achieved was to make Fay laugh even harder, and to Kurogane's chagrin, Sakura and Syaoran also joined in. Sakura covered her mouth in an attempt to cover her giggles, her shoulders shaking and her eyes twinkling impishly. Syaoran stuffed his fist in his mouth and bit on it, trying to stifle his own chortling.

"Did I just miss something?" Caldina pouted as she returned, balancing two trays in her hands.

They did not answer; they were still laughing too hard for coherent speech. Fay clapped his hands and continued to giggle hysterically, merely extending a forefinger and pointing it at Kurogane in answer to her question.

Caldina laid the trays down upon the table and smirked. "I'm guessing that Kumaso-kun here must've made some sort of joke, eh?"

Kurogane rolled his eyes. "They're just acting their age," he muttered in a sour tone as he picked up his chopsticks and jabbed moodily at his food.

_"HAHAHAHAHA!"_ Fay laughed again, while Sakura and Syaoran somewhat attempted to retain their composures, both a little stung by Kurogane's words.

Caldina chuckled and winked at Kurogane hugely. "Well, you know what they say, Kumaso-kun. Laughing is healthy and good for the soul!"

"More like a pain in the ass," Kurogane grumbled in an undertone.

Caldina then turned with a smile to the girl who had just appeared beside her, carrying the two other trays. "Just leave them here," Caldina told her kindly. "I'm betting these four're pretty hungry!"

"All right," the girl said softly as she laid one of the trays before Sakura, and the other before Fay.

As soon as Fay caught sight of the girl, his mouth dropped open. A peculiar expression marred his otherwise cheerful visage, and his eyes were wide in recognition and numb disbelief.

The girl had very long hair, the color of raw sienna, which just passed her knees. She had two small ponytails that tumbled upon her shoulders, caught up with light-blue ribbons. She had pale, nearly milky-white skin, and she wore a plain linen-white kimono tied with a periwinkle sash. Her eyes were amber-colored and full of sweet innocence and naivety, which made her seem overly vulnerable and fragile. She looked very young, but they strongly suspected that she was, in reality, older than she seemed.

"This is Chii-chan," Caldina cheerfully introduced her to the foursome. "She recently became our new helper here." She put an arm around Chii's shoulders and smiled at her sympathetically, seeing that she was somewhat skittish around the strangers.

"Hello," Chii uttered in a small and quiet voice; she stared determinedly at her feet, avoiding making eye-contact with them.

"There's no need to feel shy," Caldina admonished her gently. "These people are okay. That one's name is Kumaso-kun; he's a wine-merchant. That one over there is his little sister Yoshiko-chan. The boy over there is Kumaso-kun's assistant, Sadamo-kun. And blondie here's called Masayo-kun," she introduced them proudly.

Chii nodded, but still looked rather nervous.

"Chii-chan!" A woman with wavy, shoulder-length reddish blonde hair poked her head out of the kitchen. "Could you please help me out with the food here? I've got my hands full at the moment and I can't handle everything at once."

"Right away, Karen-san," Chii said in a rush. She disappeared through the kitchen doors so quickly that it took a moment for the group to realize that she had left.

Caldina chuckled. "Chii-chan's really shy," she explained, "especially around strangers. And because of that, she becomes all flustered and forgets how to do even the most simple chores. That's what I meant by her being terribly absent-minded beforehand. That's okay, though. She'll loosen up with time." She flashed them a big grin. "Well, I've gotta see to the other customers. See ya!" She winked at them before moving on to another table to take orders.

Sakura looked at Fay curiously. "Do you know this Chii-san?" she asked him timidly.

It took Fay a split second to realize that Sakura must have noticed his reaction when spotting Chii. He pursed his lips, wondering how much he should reveal, as the others were regarding him with curiosity. He recalled that Tomoyo had told him that the truth would have to come out eventually. But now was not the time. He picked up his chopsticks and stabbed at his food. "Well," he said carefully, as if weighing his every word, "Chii is someone I know back in my country. This girl is her counterpart in this world." His brow then furrowed slightly in confusion. "But they're not exactly the same," he muttered thoughtfully. "Strange..."

"How can you tell them apart?" Syaoran asked him in amazement as he began on his food. "I sure can't, at least not at first." He remembered meeting all the same-looking people in each world they traveled to. It was positively confusing, and took a great deal of getting used to, in his opinion.

"Well, for one thing, my Chii has these cute cat-like ears," Fay explained. He leaned back and grinned in remembrance, his sapphire-blue eyes shining as memories that only he could see flooded his mind's eye. After several moments, he looked back down at his food, chuckling. "I can just tell," he said softly, spearing a rice ball with his chopsticks.

Seeing this Chii had awakened something inside of Fay. He did not want to admit it, but he missed Chii—_his_ Chii—quite a lot. He had never actually sat down to think about her properly ever since he had left Celes. It made him feel more than a little guilty, to be honest with himself. But remembering Chii made him remember the task he had set her. Remembering the task he had set her, he remembered his king, Ashura. Remembering Ashura, he remembered...

Fay knew that, eventually, he would have to face his fears one day. But now was not the time. Assuming a semblance of gaiety, he started chatting animatedly with his companions, Syaoran and Sakura laughing gaily with his jokes and Kurogane wincing and gritting his teeth in annoyance.

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After about an hour, they finished their lunch and headed for their rooms upstairs. Sakura and Kurogane shared one of the rooms (because of them posing as brother and sister), while Fay and Syaoran shared the other. Sakura unlocked the door to her shared room and made to enter it, the others trailing along behind her. But before she had even managed to take a few steps, she ducked with a surprised yelp as something large, round, and white jumped out of the room and collided headfirst into Kurogane's face, because... he just so happened to be the tallest.

_"GAH!"_ Kurogane exclaimed as he raised his hands to pry Mokona away from his face. "Get off of me, you freakin' white manjuu!"

"Ew!" Mokona made a sound registering disgust. "Kurogane's face is sticky!" It clambered up onto the ninja's head; grabbing hold of his hair, it leaned forward and sniffed his face critically. "Aha! It's alcohol!" Mokona deduced with a giggle.

"I'll show you," Kurogane growled as he managed to grab Mokona by its ears. He pinched the creature's cheeks hard, stretching it to the fullest extent. There was a loud _pop!_ and Mokona escaped from Kurogane's clutches with a dive into his billowy sleeve, burrowing deep into his shirt with astonishing agility. As Kurogane frantically patted at himself in an attempt to locate and apprehend the sly Mokona, Sakura, Syaoran and Fay collapsed to the floor in a heap, laughing their heads off.

"Why the hell're you always crawling around in my clothes, damn it?!"

"Because Kurogane looks like he needs some cheering up!" Mokona responded from somewhere along his back.

After several long—and excruciatingly agonizing for Kurogane—moments, the lump that was Mokona scurried forward and poked its head out from the front of Kurogane's shirt. Springing out before the ninja could manage to get his hands on it, it flew through the air with a jovial _"Wheeee!"_ landing safely in Fay's outstretched arms. "Didja guys know that Kurogane is veeeery muscular?" Mokona then asked the others innocently. "Too bad you guys didn't get a proper chance to see him! The bandages from those arrows hid him very well when he was resting up!"

Kurogane spluttered, his face reddening with anger (and embarrassment, though he would sooner die than admit it). Fay snorted with laughter at Mokona's observation, his eyes twinkling impishly, and Sakura could not hold back a grin. Syaoran smirked once before pulling out the all-too-familiar Prophecy; unrolling the scroll, he absent-mindedly settled upon Kurogane's sleeping pallet. Kurogane shot him an irritated look, but said nothing as Mokona jumped up and bopped him on his nose before he had even managed to blink twice. "And points for me for hitting you so fast at that angle!" Mokona winked and snickered.

Kurogane started to spew curses and threats that he could not utilize under his breath as he rubbed furiously at his nose. Crossing his arms over his chest, he glowered vehemently at the lot of them—specifically at the flaxen-haired wizard and the furry white ball.

Sakura cleared her throat in a hope to break the tension and untied the bundle she was carrying. "Here you go, Moko-chan," she said with a smile. "We brought you some food."

"Food!" Mokona squealed as it leapt onto the floor. "Glorious food!" It jumped up and down excitedly as it energetically chowed down the rice balls Sakura gave it. "Mokona thought for a moment there that you had forgotten me!"

Fay chortled and winked. "Of course we couldn't forget about you!" he told the magical rabbit as he waved his hand enthusiastically. "Whatever would we do if our mode of transportation starved to death?"

After Mokona had finished its lunch (which only took about two seconds as it gobbled everything up in the blink of an eye), Syaoran looked up from the scroll and regarded it with a serious expression. "Do you feel the feather's vibes?" he asked it.

Mokona sobered up and cocked its ears. "I'm picking up some sort of disturbance toward the east," it said after a moment of sensing.

"Solar Tower," Kurogane grunted as he bent over his pack and pulled out his water-skin. Dampening a clean handkerchief with the water, he cleaned his face to rid himself of the uncomfortable stickiness of the lingering saké. Drying himself with one of his sleeves, he corked the water-skin and stuffed it back in his pack.

Mokona nodded in agreement as it climbed up Fay's shoulder. "But it's weak. He's not using the feather right now."

"So... what do you propose we do, Kuro-chan?" Fay asked the ninja expectantly as he clapped his hands together, the ever-present smile back upon his face. "We have around five and a half days left until the full moon, right? And two days to reach the Tower... that gives us plenty of time to snoop around the _Red Rose_, doesn't it?"

Kurogane's scowl grew more prominent, and he stared at Fay beadily through the corner of his eye. "Just 'cause I'm not in the mood to break into a sweat chasing you around the room, doesn't mean I'll let your 'innocent' little remarks slide away," Kurogane sourly informed him. "I'll definitely get back at you one of these days."

Fay shivered with mock apprehension, then chortled, accompanied by Mokona's joy-filled giggles. Mokona whispered something in Fay's ear, which caused him to snigger loudly. They shot furtive looks at Kurogane and tried to stifle their laughter.

Kurogane decided not to say anything about their united conspiracy against him (although he was wondering darkly what Mokona had told Fay). Ignoring them, he rummaged through his things and drew out a long dagger and a whetstone. Tying up his pack, he crossed the room with a couple of long strides and pulled back the deep-blue curtains as he looked out the window. He regarded the gray sky and the dark clouds critically. "It'll start snowing before long, and by the looks of it, it'll be snowing all night long," he reported. He sat down beside Syaoran, stretching his long legs before him. Unsheathing his blade, he inspected the edges with a professional criticism. He then proceeded to sharpen it with the whetstone.

"Then we can't go to the tavern to find out more about the One Without Destiny, can we?" Sakura asked him, trying to ignore the hair-raising swishing sound of stone against metal. "At least not today."

"We should probably make an attempt. The weather might get even worse tomorrow. And we can't risk arriving at the Tower later than the full moon." He peered down at his blade for a few moments, then resumed his sharpening.

"But won't it look suspicious if we all go together?" Syaoran said. "What if we're being spied on?"

Kurogane paused and scratched at his chin thoughtfully. "You've got a point there," he muttered. "That mage's still lurking around. And if we're not being followed by him, we're definitely going to be followed by hired thugs that that One Without Destiny sends after us."

"You're acting as if you don't think our disguise works," Syaoran said accusingly.

"You can never be too careful," Kurogane muttered sagely. "I've heard of good disguises falling apart before. Heck, some've even fallen apart on me, too."

"And what did you do to repair the damage?" Fay asked him, abandoning his frivolous tone.

Kurogane half-shrugged, but did not answer. His expression grew sterner and harder, however. He ran his thumb lightly along the dagger's edge and smirked with satisfaction when the blade cut him.

Syaoran's brow creased. There was still a lot to Kurogane that he was still not aware of, but now was not the time to pursue it. There were more important things on his mind at the moment. "We're going to have to think this out," he mused thoughtfully. "My father and I never really met with trouble on our travels. We used the guise of writing a book, but there was never really anything to hide from."

"Unlike with us," Kurogane pointed out, sheathing his dagger. "Our mission's too vital to hope that we won't be found."

"I think..." Sakura started to say, but suddenly swayed dangerously and collapsed.

Fay barely managed to catch her before she fell flat on her face. "She just fell asleep again," he assured the harried-looking Syaoran, who had half-risen from his sitting spot. Fay easily lifted her up in his arms and carried her to her sleeping pallet.

"I think that Sakura and I should stay here," Syaoran suggested quietly as he sat back down while Fay tucked Sakura in. "I can watch over her while she sleeps. I've still got to concentrate on the Prophecy, anyhow." He tapped the parchment with his forefinger. "Princess Tomoyo made it very clear to me that we'd be able to find out more about the One Without Destiny from here, too."

"Then me and Kuro-sama'll go to the tavern, and you'll watch over Sakura-chan while you comb the Prophecy," Fay said, standing up. "That also means we'll be able cover more 'ground' that way."

"We should make for the tavern around early evening," Kurogane said.

"What exactly are we going to look for?" Fay asked him.

"We'll ask the tavern keeper about the One Without Destiny."

"But remember what the King had said in his letter?" Syaoran reminded him. "He said that it was as if the tavern keeper was under some sort of spell and could have told him whatever he wanted, except that the tavern keeper couldn't tell him what he really wanted regarding his son and the One Without Destiny."

"Hyu!" Fay whistled in amazement. "Syaoran-kun, that's practically word-for-word what the letter said!"

Kurogane arched an eyebrow, regarding Syaoran with something akin to awe. "How can you remember stuff like that?" he demanded incredulously.

"I don't do it on purpose," Syaoran said defensively, searching for some sort of an explanation. "It's just the way I remember it. It came out naturally."

"It's amazing the way some people can memorize stuff just like that, isn't it?" Fay grinned down at Kurogane, snapping his fingers. "Too bad you can't, Kuro-tako!"

Kurogane narrowed his eyes dangerously, his fist tightening about the dagger's handle.

Fay took no notice of the ominous signs Kurogane was exhibiting, and he clapped his palms, rubbing his hands together. "We can ask the tavern keeper about the One Without Destiny, and we can also ask some of the regular customers, too, can't we, Kuro-pippi?"

Kurogane grunted, something that Syaoran and Fay had come to understand meant his assent. "But it'll have to be discreet," he warned him, stowing his dagger in his robes.

"Really, Kuro-puu, don't you think that I can interrogate someone without revealing my true intentions? Have you no faith in my abilities?"

"_What_ abilities?" Kurogane scoffed.

"Why, my witty charm, of course!" Fay grinned and winked.

Kurogane rolled his eyes heavenward. "We're doomed," he said in a despairing tone.

———————————————

The setting sun cast long shadows over the large city of Sembia. The little light that managed to filter through the cluttered buildings and the smoky haze from warm fireplaces cheerfully burning scarcely illuminated the streets. The weather, which was crisp and cool to begin with, soon worsened as the temperature slowly dropped. The velvet-black sky finally surrendered to the dark clouds, bursting forth with delicate snowflakes, which gently settled down upon the earth and its inhabitants.

Kurogane and Fay made their way carefully along the streets, as the chill had already managed to half-freeze puddles of water from the previous night's rain-drizzle. Their long cloaks were soon bedraggled with dirty snow-slush, which had been churned into some sort of a muddy paste by all the passers-by.

Fay sifted his hair, trying to rid his locks of the snowflakes still stubbornly clinging to them. He pulled up his hood and drew his cloak tighter about him, blowing on his hands in an attempt to warm them. What he wanted was to get indoors to warmth and comfort and escape from the cold and wintry atmosphere. "Are we there yet?" he whined at Kurogane.

Kurogane gritted his teeth in irritation. "Almost," he snapped, annoyed by Fay's penetrating voice.

Fay sighed heavily. It was obvious by Kurogane's curt tone that he was not in the mood to talk. After a few moments, Fay spoke again. "Dreary," he commented laconically, his eyes lazily taking in the last-minute purchasers along the merchants' stalls and shops. "Is the weather always this... gloomy?" He rubbed his hands together, trying to get them warmer.

"It's winter," Kurogane grunted, ignoring the nipping wind billowing his cloak about him. "The weather's supposed to be like this."

Fay had been so absorbed in warming his hands that he had not realized that Kurogane had come to a stop after a few moments until the last second, but by then it was too late; his head crashed into Kurogane's back and he fell down with a surprised cry. "Geeze, Kuro-pon!" he complained, rubbing at his head. "Give me a warning or something next time!"

Kurogane snorted with contempt. "We're here," he grunted.

Fay grabbed hold of the hem of Kurogane's cloak and hauled himself up, hardly taking note of the fact that the ninja had a look of outrage on his face once he had erected himself. Grumbling, Kurogane straightened his cloak, scowling blackly.

Fay brushed the snow off of himself and looked around. Sure enough, the door of the building they were standing before was decorated with a painted red rose. The tavern wasn't much of a sight; it only had one other floor, and it had a shabby and seedy look about it as dust and grime covered the clouded windows. "This is defined as 'classy'?" Fay wondered dubiously.

"The _Red Rose_ is as classy as far as taverns go. Believe me, I've seen worse."

"Oh, I can believe that. It's not much of a sight, but—"

A bought of raucous laughter from the interior suddenly interrupted him, as the sounds of a shrill squeal of glee and more guffaws floated to their ears. Kurogane and Fay exchanged nervous looks.

"Um... Kuro-sama?" Fay asked him tentatively. "Tell me you didn't hear that."

"I heard it," he replied stiffly.

"Oh, dear. It's a good thing that Mokona, Syaoran-kun, and Sakura-chan aren't with us." Fay paused. "_Especially_ Sakura-chan," he added.

"I'll say," Kurogane agreed fervently.

"Was that what I think it was?"

"How the hell d'you expect _me_ to know? I've been around Sembia before, but I haven't been here."

Fay crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "This is 'classy'?!" he demanded incredulously, spreading his arms. "Even the tavern in Jade was more respectable! And the bar in Outo!" He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "People don't get too carried away in public," he mused. "At least I hope so..." he added in an undertone. "Oh, let's just open the door and get in already! I can't take the cold!"

Kurogane threw out his arm and blocked Fay's way. "Don't get carried away," he warned him in a low voice. "One wrong move could be disastrous."

"Trust me," Fay replied with a small smile and a wink.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Kurogane grasped the handle and pushed the door open.

The interior was, if possible, even more dingy-looking than the exterior. The tavern consisted of one room with stairs situated at the back leading to the upper floor, and it reeked of stale sweat and spilled wine. Rough tables and battered-looking cushions—none too clean—were scattered about with hardly anything resembling order. But, despite the shabbiness, the tavern was crowded. A few courtiers, some commoners, and a number of burly workmen was what the room's population consisted of.

Some of the customers raised their heads when Kurogane and Fay entered. There were stares aimed their way that were ringed with suspicion, and other stares that were simply curious. The two of them made their way to the only other empty table in the room, which was right by a table of rough-looking men who had just broken into a bawdy song.

Fay shuddered and winced as he sat down. "Their voices are like dull saws," he mumbled, tweaking his ear with one forefinger.

Kurogane pulled off his cloak and laid it beside him as a serving-girl approached their table. She was large-hipped, busty, and even though her clothes were simple they left little to the imagination. "What would you good sirs like?" she asked them in an inviting tone.

"Something to drink," Fay replied with apparent ease, "preferably saké for me."

"And you?" she asked Kurogane, her keen eyes sizing him up.

"The strongest drink you've got," he said crisply.

She smiled slowly at him and scurried off.

"Well," Fay said conversationally as he removed his cloak, "that wasn't too bad, was it?" He grinned slyly.

Kurogane stared at him hard, but decided not to give him the satisfaction of answering.

After the barmaid returned with their drinks, a heavily scarred mountain of a man stood up from his seat just a few tables away. "Bring me an' me mates summat to wet our whistles with, lassie!" he bellowed in a booming voice, sitting back heavily upon his cushion.

She pouted, shooting one last look at Kurogane, as if a treat had been snatched away from her, and bustled back to the counter.

Fay smirked and arched an eyebrow. "Big fellow," he murmured as he sipped at his saké. He made a sour face. "Bleargh! I much preferred Caldina-chan's batch."

Kurogane sampled his drink and wrinkled his face in a sour expression. It was bland and watery, and although it was pungent-tasting, he strongly suspected that it was not something that would agree with his digestive system.

"So what do we do now?" Fay asked him in a low voice.

"We ask around. You could ask that serving-girl about the 'magician-vagabond'," he suggested blandly. "She's sure to know something about him since she works here."

"Why me?" Fay complained.

"'Cause interrogating people is _your_ specialty. You said something about using your 'witty charm', if I remember correctly." Kurogane smirked, inwardly pleased that he managed to get back at Fay in a way.

"That's hardly fair, Kuro-puu. She was ogling _you_, not me."

"Life is full of injustice," the ninja replied philosophically with an evil grin.

"Oh, all right," Fay said in a resigned tone. "But I still think—"

Kurogane's hand suddenly shot out and grabbed someone's bony wrist, whose hand had been mere inches from the money-pouch at his belt.

"Ouch! That hurts!" A small boy, around seven or eight years old, squirmed to free himself. His robes were mere rags, and he was smudged with dirt. He was abnormally thin and starved-looking, and his scraggly brown hair was unevenly cut.

Kurogane's scarlet eyes bored into the boy's gray ones. "No one steals from me," he snarled in a low voice. "Got that?"

"What are you going to do with me?" the boy asked fearfully. "Are you going to thrash me? Or hand me over to the King's guards?"

"Of course not," Fay interjected. "We'll let you off the hook if you can answer a few questions for us. And with sincerity, of course."

"I'll tell you whatever you want if this guy lets go of me."

Fay looked at Kurogane expectantly. Kurogane released his hold, but continued to regard the boy with an intent and alert gaze.

The boy settled upon one of the cushions at their table. He clasped his hands before him. "Well, what do you want to know?" He squirmed slightly under Kurogane's persistent stare.

"How long has it been since you last ate?" Fay asked him kindly.

"Day before yesterday I nicked some bread." The boy's eyes narrowed. "Are all these questions going to be about me?"

"No," he said, "I was just curious." He called the serving-girl over and asked her to bring him a meal for the young boy.

"Er... thanks," the boy said, taken aback at Fay's charity.

Fay flashed him a smile. "Now, then." He looked encouragingly at the young child. "My friend and I here were wondering what happened to a man who used to stay here. I think you probably might have heard of him. He was well-known, after all. Some sort of wandering vagabond, if I remember correctly."

"Are you asking about that magician who called himself the One Without Destiny?"

"Yes, that's the one," Fay grinned.

The boy shrugged. "He vanished something like a week ago. I don't know where he went. No one knows, actually. That's why everyone's talking about it."

"That's all right. What we'd like to know is what he did. Our source was a little vague, and we need to—" Poor Fay was interrupted for yet a third time, when one of the customers broke into a coarse laugh, slapping the barmaid familiarly on the bottom. She giggled shrilly and batted her lashes at him.

The boy rolled his eyes. "Not again," he murmured. "It's her fault, you know," he informed the two of them in a matter-of-fact tone of voice as they exchanged surprised looks. "She flirts outrageously, so who wouldn't jump at the opportunity to do her?" He sniffed disdainfully.

The young boy seemed too worldly to Kurogane, knowing things that a child at that age should normally not be aware of yet. His years of innocence seemed not to have ever existed. "The point," Kurogane said, turning the conversation back to their issue, "is that we need to know how long he stayed here, what he did, and who he talked with. Can you provide us with this information?"

"I can tell you what you need to know," the youngster answered back confidently. "I don't know the answers to all of your questions, but I have my own sources as well. I can guarantee that by this time tomorrow, you'll know so much about the One Without Destiny that you'll be sick to your stomach with too much information."

"Hopefully, we won't be reduced to nausea!" Fay laughed.

The boy laughed along and Kurogane relaxed slightly, but he still kept up his guard.

The serving-girl returned shortly with a steaming stew and placed the wooden bowl upon the table. "That'll be two silvers and five coppers," she said, eyeing Kurogane with interest. "Would you like anything else?" She stuck a lock of her dark hair between her teeth and looked at him hopefully.

"No," Kurogane growled in a flat tone as he fished out some money from his pouch.

"You _will_ let me know if you want anything else, won't you?" she asked him winsomely as she sidled up to him, leaning against him casually.

Kurogane's eye began to twitch, but he resisted the urge to push her away from him in disgust, not wanting to cause a scene now that they were so near their goal.

"_Anything_ at all," she encouraged. "I'm here to please, you know."

Kurogane counted out coins, ignoring her blatant ways of trying to get his attention. He slammed his palm upon the table, leaving the money. "If you don't mind?" he then asked her acidly. "I want to get up and you're in my way." He tried to keep his voice steady, but it was a difficult feat, for he found her sleazy attitude utterly revolting. _She's even worse than a whore,_ he added silently to himself.

Her mouth dropped open in shock. She _humphed_, snatched up the money, and hurried off without so much as a 'thank you'.

"That was just perfect!" the boy chortled with glee. "The serving-wench has _never_ been turned down before!" He looked up at Kurogane in awe. "She was honestly trying her hardest to get you to dally off with her," he told him truthfully.

"I'm not that kind of person," Kurogane snapped angrily.

"You're different from others, then," the boy remarked. He smiled at Kurogane knowingly. "There's someone else, isn't there? Is she pretty?"

"Breathtaking," Kurogane sighed, a foolish grin spreading upon his face.

Fay snorted into his saké, and was rewarded with an annoyed glare aimed his way.

"Well," the boy said, his voice taking on a professional tone, "if you come back here tomorrow, same time, same place, I'll have all the information you want. I guarantee it."

"Thank you very much," Fay grinned his thanks as he pulled on his cloak. "Enjoy your meal."

"I sure will," the boy replied gratefully.

Fay turned to Kurogane with a huge smile as soon as he had closed the tavern door behind them and they had started through the dark, snow-filled streets. "Well, that went pretty well, didn't it?"

Kurogane crossed his arms and started swearing sulphurously under his breath.

———————————————

After about a half hour of walking through the snow, Kurogane and Fay returned to the inn. Fay bid Kurogane a cheery good night by calling him 'Daddy' again, and he giggled and dove into his room when Kurogane responded with a loud, "SHUT UP!" brandishing a clenched fist.

Grumbling, Kurogane opened the door to his shared room and slipped in, closing it quietly behind him, not wanting to wake Sakura up. He had barely taken a step when he stopped dead in his tracks.

Sakura was nestled under the warm blankets of her sleeping pallet, a smile as bright as the sun rising upon her face; Mokona was curled up beside her, twitching his feet in his sleep; and Syaoran was a few feet away from them, his back resting against the wall as he snored lightly, the Prophecy unrolled upon his lap.

Kurogane frowned. It was very irresponsible of Syaoran to fall asleep like that. He crossed the room on silent feet, and, kneeling beside him, he gently shook him awake.

Syaoran stirred and yawned tiredly. "Whazzup?" he mumbled sleepily, stretching his arms above his head.

"You fell asleep," Kurogane answered.

Syaoran rubbed at his eyes blearily and looked up. He blinked once. He then blinked again. "Kurogane-san!" he suddenly exclaimed with a start, his sleep-logged brain finally starting up. "You're back!" His amber eyes looked up at him intently. "What did you and Fay-san find out?"

"Someone's going to provide us with information. We're going to have to go back to the tavern tomorrow."

"Oh." His crestfallen expression spoke volumes.

"Hey," Kurogane said gruffly as he punched him lightly on the shoulder in a friendly manner. "It's only one more day."

"I know that," Syaoran said as he rolled up the Prophecy, "but still..." He left it hanging.

"I know, kid," Kurogane agreed. He seemed to hesitate a moment, then said, "You're really worried about her, aren't you?"

Syaoran nodded, looking down at Sakura. "She seems to be sleeping more often than usual," he observed. "I'm worried that it might mean something. She should be getting better with each feather we find, and instead..."

"Maybe it's because she's also using her magic more often," Kurogane suggested. "Tomoyo would tire easily after casting spells, too."

"That must be it." But Syaoran's tone of voice was dubious. He stood up. "Well, have a good night's sleep, Kurogane-san."

"You, too."

Syaoran shot Sakura one last look before closing the door behind him.

Kurogane chuckled softly and shook his head as he shrugged off his cloak. Syaoran falling asleep while watching over Sakura reminded him vividly of something similar happening to himself when he had been watching over Tomoyo a few years ago.

He burrowed under the covers of his sleeping pallet, shifting his weight to find a more comfortable position. He closed his eyes, and, unbidden, memories of Tomoyo filled his mind. She was radiant and beautiful in every way, and he finally fell asleep with a small sigh of contentment.

———————————————

Tomoyo roamed through her private gardens. It had been a tiring day paying homage to the gods and attending to her religious obligations as High Priestess. It was her duty to offer the specially prepared 'shinsen' every day at the shrine to please the divinities, and then perform the ceremonial dances along with her shrine maidens and priests, praying for abundance and prosperity for Nihon. It was the daily routine always expected of her. Afterward, she would depart from the shrine into the castle-complex and see to matters of state, which needed constant attention and supervision.

She was either making decisions for the welfare of Nihon or tending to the Lunar Shrine. She had many responsibilities that would take up much of her energy, exhausting her, and she would usually fall fast asleep every night. But sleep could not take her that evening, despite the physical discomfort she felt. It happened sometimes. Too many thoughts would swirl around in her mind and prevent her from finding peace.

But here, in the vast gardens of Shirasagi Castle, she was at peace with herself and with all around her. A crystal pond, with bits of thin frost at the edges, reflected the moon's silver light, and wild perennial water-lilies floated on the surface of the calm water. A low waterfall poured into the pool, the white foam crashing and frothing upon the moss-covered rocks situated at the tip of the waterline. The current, however, carried the lilies gently and smoothly away from the falls toward her.

Tomoyo knelt upon the thin crust of snow at the pool's shore and ran her hand through the chill expanse, bumping a water-lily as it passed by. She cupped her palms and raised them. She could not hold the water, for it trickled through her fingers. She sighed and opened her hands, allowing the rest of the water to return to the pond. She extended her fingers to another water-lily and pulled it toward her, admiring the delicate pink petals that were spotted with water droplets.

But even so, trying to distract herself with nature, she could not make her thoughts stray from the one who occupied them. Sighing heavily, she let the flower drift away. "Kurogane..." she murmured to the wind.

Anticipating Kurogane's return now was something entirely different from awaiting his return when he was traveling around other worlds. It was because she had not known that he cared for her then. Now that she knew, it had been harder for her to let him go. But she had not acted selfishly, holding him here against his will. She knew Kurogane very well and had anticipated his offer of aid to his companions. And she knew that they needed him.

Tomoyo was worried about how he and the others fared. She knew that they must have surely reached Sembia by now, and she found herself wondering if they had found any information on the One Without Destiny, for what would now follow was hidden from her, the specific passage in the Prophecy referring to presently-occurring events having been smeared. She had attempted to scry in her pool to foresee what would await them, but the One Without Destiny kept interfering. She had never met such strong power before. She shivered as she remembered how he had seeped from her magical dome and dissolved, as if he had never even been there.

But again, the image of Kurogane came to her mind, chasing away her dark thoughts. She recalled his face. His touch. His taste. She wrapped her arms about herself, longing for his return. When they would finally be together again. She would hold him in her arms and never let him go again. They had both been so blind. They had both suffered needlessly for so many years, each loving the other, but fearing that the other did not feel the same. And they had both been so terribly, blindly wrong.

Tomoyo should have realized it in the confrontation against one of her most fierce enemies. One of her faithful daimyo, Iekata, had been seduced by the lull of the Dark Side. The forces of darkness had granted him powers and had convinced him to confront her. With his private warriors and with a mass of hired mercenaries, he had attempted it. With the powers he had been given, he had broken into Shirasagi Castle and laid waste to the grounds, bent on savage annihilation.

Neither she nor the ninja had remained idle, however. They had confronted Iekata; the ninja with their weapons and by using their special techniques and Tomoyo with the Ceremonial Bell, which would better help her to channel her power. The bell was said to have once belonged to the Lunar God Tsukuyomi No Mikoto himself, and it was her duty to guard it with her life and use it as High Priestess.

But at one point during the battle, Tomoyo had been surrounded. With a ferocious cry, Kurogane had leapt forward to protect her, pulling off his cloak and drawing it around her to shield her from the offending arrows. He had purposefully ignored his own injuries and wounds, his concentration fully upon protecting her person, as he hacked and hewed at their foes with his silver katana Ginryuu.

She should have realized it then—that he cared for her as deeply as she cared for him. But she had only thought then that he had done it out of a sense of duty. He took being Lead Ninja very seriously, as she recalled.

Then, Iekata himself had confronted her. It had not been a very serious challenge, however, for Iekata had been too drained by the darkness to properly use his newfound powers. She had easily defeated him, hoping that she could at least have saved his soul at the very most. But she had not been able to. The dark beings, displeased with Iekata's performance, had taken it as payment... just like she had failed to save Kazuo and Dai. Although Dai had certainly deserved what he had received, losing your soul was a heavy price to pay. The idea of her enemies existing in eternal torment did not appeal to her at all, as vile as they may have been.

She sighed heavily and gazed at her reflection in the water. Despite the troubled times of the past, Tomoyo could recall happy times as well. She remembered with a small blush that she would sometimes pretend to sleep while Kurogane stood guard over her, basking in the warm feeling of his protective and attentive gaze. As Lead Ninja, he was obliged to watch over her at all times—even while she slept. But sometimes, he would be so exhausted that he would fall asleep, his slumped form resting against the walls of the corner he would sit in. Those were the moments that she lived for, for only then would she catch glimpses of the real Kurogane under the steeled exterior. His otherwise morose expression would take on an expression of serenity, and he would occasionally smile—expressions that he would never exhibit in public during his waking moments.

She had felt guilty at many times for secretly being in love with him, though, for his brutal ways had made him feared and awed by all. But Kurogane had now changed, into the man she had always dreamed of and known had been there all along. All he had needed was a little encouragement to come out. Although he had had a notorious killing-obsession, he had not been truly evil. He simply went about his duty in the best way he judged, and—

Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw a tall woman approaching her, her green eyes worried-looking. She bowed before her princess. "Your Highness," she greeted her respectfully.

"Souma," Tomoyo nodded as she got to her feet, throwing back her long ebony hair. "Has the time already passed by so quickly?"

"Yes, Princess," she replied in a somewhat withdrawn tone. "You asked me to come for you after a quarter of an hour."

"Yes... I suppose I _should_ get to bed," Tomoyo decided as she started for the castle. "It's just difficult when I can't go to sleep."

Souma fell in step beside Tomoyo and nodded absent-mindedly.

"There is something else troubling you," Tomoyo said knowingly once they had passed into the long corridors. "I would appreciate it if you told me."

Souma hesitated for a few moments. "It's about the way you bid goodbye to _him_, Princess," she finally said stiffly.

Tomoyo arched an eyebrow. "What about the way I bid Kurogane farewell?"

"Well... it's caused something like a... a scandal among the court members, Your Highness. I trust you are well-aware of how gossip lingers."

Tomoyo's expression was amused and her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Really?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Souma said, a hint of anger in her voice.

"And you are also of the same opinion?"

Souma said nothing for a time. "Without meaning any disrespect, Your Highness, but..." She drew a deep breath. "How long has this been going on?"

"It depends on what you mean, Souma."

"Pardon?" she asked her politely.

"Well, it has been going on for around eleven years if you are referring to the feelings Kurogane and I nurture for each other."

Souma's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.

"But," Tomoyo continued before she could protest, "if you mean when we actually made a move and confessed out feelings to each other, it only happened four days ago."

Souma blinked in confusion. "Eleven years and then... only four days ago?" she repeated.

"I quite agree. An absurdly long time, don't you think so?" She smiled impishly.

Souma shook her head quickly. "Your Highness, this is highly inappropriate," she pointed out. "A ninja and a princess?" She clamped her mouth shut when she realized that she might have taken it just a little too far.

"There are no restrictions based on whom I decide to spend my life with," Tomoyo replied rather coolly.

"That was not what I meant, Your Highness," Souma said quickly.

"You misunderstood me as well, Souma. I am not angry with you. Please speak your mind. I insist."

"It is expected by the general population that you marry a noble," Souma finally said. "Although the House of Ito has served the Imperial Family for many generations, we are hardly what one would call of noble blood."

Tomoyo shook her head and brooded silently for several long moments. "To be quite honest, Souma, I've grown weary with my responsibilities," she said quietly.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Souma confessed.

"I am twenty-three years old," Tomoyo sighed. "Normally, I would have had to marry someone at eighteen, or even sixteen years old, but my religious obligations at the Lunar Shrine held me back. I have also always done what was best for Nihon and for my people, and the marriage between myself and Dai-ouji was more of a political nature, in an attempt to maintain peace, than out of any tender feelings I had toward him."

She looked up at Souma helplessly. "I tried, Souma," she said in a trembling voice. "I tried to make myself love him. But I just couldn't. I was already in love with Kurogane." She clasped her hands before her. "Can't I make a decision for myself? One small choice in my life that will be based on what _I_ want, and not by what is right or what is wiser? Don't I deserve a small repayment of happiness for all that I have done?"

Souma was at a loss for words, so she decided not to say anything to contradict her.

They walked on and were almost before the doors leading to Tomoyo's rooms when Souma turned to her princess. "If he harms one hair on your head, he'll have to answer to me," she stated fiercely. "Cousin or no cousin."

Tomoyo giggled. "I don't think you'll have to resort to violence, Souma," she said. "Kurogane would never do anything to hurt me."

"Perhaps, Princess, but I won't take any chances."

Tomoyo giggled again and bid her goodnight, adjourning to her rooms. She went to the balcony and leaned upon the railing for a time, still not tired enough for sleep. She then raised her face to the star-strewn sky. Her amethyst eyes were bright as they beheld the moon, and, unbidden, her lips parted and a sweet heart-stirring melody filled the air as she sang. Her voice was clear and beautiful, possessing a thrilling timbre that could move anyone to tears.

"Please be safe, Kurogane," she whispered with the fading notes of her song, wiping at her wet eyes.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** You know, reading through the two former A/Ns I had for this chapter reminded me of how very, very immature and childish I was two years ago. _—head-desks—_ I mean, excuse me?! There I was talking like a fucking homophobe when I'm not one, why didn't anyone _say_ anything or point it out?! God, I sounded so stupid! _—scowls—_ I disapprove of racists in general, so reading through the A/Ns after so long really made me see a lot of flaws I had... as if I was seeing a racist in myself. It was humiliating.

I won't hide the fact that I enjoy my fair share of shonen- and shoujo-ai and I'm proud of it. Love comes in all shapes and sizes, so love between two people of the same sex shouldn't be seen as something wrong or abnormal. A lot of KuroganexTomoyo fans come off as ignorant little homophobes and I don't want to be carted in the same category with them. Is it wrong of me to like shonen- and shoujo-ai and prefer KuroganexTomoyo over KuroganexFay? I should hope not! Everyone has their likes and dislikes. And no, I'm not saying this trying to come off as if I dislike KuroganexFay. I've read some good KuroganexFay fics in my time and I adore the relationship they share, which is why I still try to depict them having a strong bond in my fic. I just fell in love with the KuroganexTomoyo relationship first. And seeing as not many people support it, well, at least I'm here trying to remedy that! XP

And just for the record, I'm _not_ a FayxChii fan (I mean, _please_, the guy made her in image of his mother) even though there's a wee tiny bit of fluff in this chapter and Chapter 15. I regard it more as a father/daughter relationship though, just like the itsy-bitsy KuroganexSakura fluff you spot here and there. I prefer FayxAshura (and AshuraxTaishakuten, but let's not go down that road right now), so those of you sharp enough will be able to notice it throughout my entire fic, both in previous and latter chapters.

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	14. Past Events

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 14 — Past Events**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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Syaoran had the vague sense of floating effortlessly in a sea of darkness. He neither knew how he got there, nor what he was doing there. His limbs were stiff and would not yield to the effort he was exerting to move them. All that he understood in that dark, senseless place was that he was trapped. He was trapped and helpless. But worst of all, he was alone. So terribly alone. He had only felt like this once before when he had been very young. He had been wandering around aimlessly, hurting all over and stumbling with exhaustion, trying so hard to remember how he had gotten there and who he was, before he had been found and taken in by Fujitaka...

All of a sudden, Syaoran could see something different in the darkness. He saw a faint light in the distance that pulsed and steadily intensified with each passing second—a dazzling blue-green brilliance that surrounded him wholly. He was momentarily relieved that the scene around him had finally changed, but he still could not move a single muscle, no matter how hard he tried to. It was as if his limbs were as heavy as lead.

The next sensation he experienced was sound. A gentle, methodical rhythm filled his ears. It was a loud, yet soft sound, which reminded him of something, though he could not quite put his finger on it. Then he understood. It was the sound of a beating heart. Syaoran could even feel the vibrations as the heartbeat continued to reverberate all around him. And then, the sound of another heart joined the first. They beat together harmoniously, each a little different than the other, but after a few moments they synchronized and beat together as if they were one heart, though he could still tell that they were separate.

_Syaoran..._ someone called him.

Syaoran recognized the voice. He could faintly discern a dark form in the hazy blue-green light before him, and he squinted to make it out. He then realized that it was the boy—the boy who looked exactly like him.

He was barefoot and wore dark-colored robes lined with red cloth, and he bore a peculiar black symbol upon a red circular background on his chest. It looked vaguely like a diamond with two outstretched wings at its sides that crawled upward—more like a bat than anything else. His brown hair swirled around his face, much in the same way hair would act when submerged in water, and he wore a black patch upon his left eye. His arms were wholly covered in red markings—from his upper arms to the tips of his fingers—his legs and feet similarly adorned. The only difference was that he had been younger the last time Syaoran had seen him, whereas now he was equal to him in age.

_Syaoran..._

His right eye opened, and Syaoran saw that it was amber-colored, just like his. The boy's expression remained resolute, but he raised one of his tattooed arms, as if beckoning to him.

_Who...?_ Syaoran wondered in confusion.

_Syaoran..._

_What do you want?_ he asked him tentatively, casting out his thought to him.

_The time is nearing..._

_Nearing?_ Syaoran repeated, dumbfounded. _Nearing for what?_

_Something is meant to happen..._

_What...?_

_And you can do nothing to prevent it..._

_What are you talking about?!_ he demanded angrily.

His doppelganger's face remained expressionless, but Syaoran could clearly hear the pulsing heartbeats falter, no longer beating together simultaneously. He wondered what was going on, but then he heard his name being called again, and the voice was frighteningly alluring.

_Syaoran..._

And everything around him vanished. The crystal-clear sound of a gong echoed in his ears as he felt himself swirling backward into an abyss of pitch-black darkness, and his right eye seared him painfully. Faster and faster he plummeted through the darkness as he tried to grasp at the air in a vain attempt to break his fall, but to no avail could his leaden arms willingly yield to his crumbling will. He continued to spiral into the depths of night, wildly spinning out of control, and—

Syaoran started awake and sat up, gasping for air. He was sweating profusely and his hands were visibly trembling. His gaze frantically traveled about the faintly illuminated room for an inkling—or maybe even a vague hint—of what he had just witnessed, but all he saw was Fay's form on the other side of the room. Fay had his back toward him, and by the regular sound of his breathing, the blond wizard was sound asleep.

Syaoran rubbed at his eyes wearily and lay back upon his sleeping pallet. He ran his hand through his hair, which was damp with cold sweat. "A dream?" he whispered to himself. "Was it really just a dream?" Somehow, he felt it might have been something more.

Syaoran tried to recall the things he had seen and heard. His need to gather, to evaluate, and to comprehend why this was happening to him was too great to be ignored. He felt that it might have something to do with his hidden past, but the voice had only referred to the future. What did he mean with all of those things he revealed to him? The time was nearing for something that was meant to happen... but what? No matter how much Syaoran contemplated the matter, he could not find a logical explanation to put his mind at ease.

But one thing he knew with a certainty was that he couldn't tell the others about his dream. For one thing, they would worry, and they already had enough to worry about without him adding to their load. Despite being extremely puzzled by his dream, Syaoran was also taking note of the remaining time left at their disposal, and he chafed at the delay. He knew that he had to curb his impatience for at least one more day, but it was difficult. Each wasted second meant another second gained by Fei Wang Reed, and that was something Syaoran was not willing to afford.

———————————————

Sakura yawned tiredly. "Oh, dear..." she mumbled as she sleepily rubbed at her eyes. "I must've fallen asleep all of a sudden again." She sat up and stretched her arms high above her head. She looked around the sunlit room, curiously taking in her surroundings. Mokona was sleeping peacefully by her side, and it giggled once in its sleep. Her gaze then fell upon Kurogane, and she arched a quizzical eyebrow. He was leaning upon the windowsill, looking down at the city listlessly, wearing an unfathomable look on his face. Sakura pursed her lips and her brow knitted as she wondered what the tall ninja might be thinking about to be wearing such a peculiar expression.

"You're awake," Kurogane suddenly said after a few moments without turning, surprising her somewhat.

"Uh, yeah," Sakura nodded nervously. She then smiled in greeting, "Good morning, Kurogane-san."

"Morning," he grunted in answer.

Sakura crawled out from under the covers carefully to avoid disturbing Mokona, and, pulling on her geta sandals, she joined him at the window.

The heavens had finally given way to the sunlight, and there was not a gray cloud in sight. The sky was a beautiful crisp-blue color, and the sun, which had now risen fully, was a blinding yellow-white sphere of brilliance.

Sakura looked down at the snow-filled courtyard and her deep-green eyes sparkled impishly. She was just itching to get her hands on some of that snow. She had never really had a chance to enjoy freshly-fallen snow—or any snow for the matter—and she was wondering if she could manage to persuade the others into playing in the snow with her. She knew that Fay and Mokona would probably accept jovially without any hesitation, but Kurogane and Syaoran were another matter. There was definitely no way on earth she could _ever_ persuade Kurogane, but with the proper suggestions she could probably convince Syaoran that he could afford a small break from studying the Prophecy.

She grinned and leaned her elbows upon the sill, her hands supporting her chin. She thought it would be quite amusing to pelt Syaoran with snowballs. He would most certainly start enjoying himself after getting over his initial shyness, and anyway, he looked much more appealing when he wore a smile on his face. Sakura blushed sheepishly at the thought, and then turned even more red when she noticed that Kurogane was looking at her curiously through the corner of his eye.

"So..." she said, attempting to make conversation. "How long have I been asleep?"

Kurogane arched an eyebrow. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"We were all in this room and we were talking about going to the _Red Rose_. Syaoran mentioned that our pose as a merchant and his helpers might not be plausible, and that's when I suddenly felt extremely tired."

Kurogane grunted with assent and nodded. "You slept about half a day and all through the night," he informed her.

"Oh, dear," Sakura said quietly. "I've stalled us, haven't I?"

"No sweat. We've got it covered," he assured her gruffly. "The wizard and I went to the tavern last night while the others kept an eye on you. We found someone who can give us the information we need when we go back tonight."

Sakura blinked in confusion. "Who is this person?"

"A kid. Eight or nine years old, I think." Kurogane's expression turned sour. "He's a sneaky little pickpocket and he tried to steal from me," he mumbled.

"Tried?"

"I caught him at it before he had even had the chance to get close enough."

"And now he's going to help? How did _that_ happen?"

Kurogane shrugged. "I didn't hurt him or hand him over to the guards, so he agreed to provide us with information. It was a fair trade."

"But how can such a young child find information?" she pressed.

"He's not just a kid," Kurogane disagreed. "Thieves and beggars and the like have their own kind of society with their own kind of rules. It's sort of complicated. Basically, each one of them can communicate with another despite the differences in the lines of work each one follows. They make pretty good spies, actually. All you do is give them something, preferably money or something of value, and they'll be a goldmine of information."

"Couldn't you have asked someone else? Like someone who works at the tavern?" she suggested tentatively.

"I guess. But since the opportunity presented itself, why not make the most of it?"

"I suppose you're right," Sakura conceded. "Thank goodness," she then sighed with relief. "I was really worried there for a few moments."

"What for?"

"I don't want to be the reason we were unprepared. We won't be able to confront the One Without Destiny without more information on him," she pointed out.

"Well, if that thief doesn't manage to come up with anything useful we can always resort to interrogating the regular patrons." Kurogane smirked. "I can be _very_ persuasive if the situation demands it," he said grimly, cracking his knuckles.

Sakura sweat-dropped. Although she admired Kurogane, she found some of his tactics more than a little unnerving.

———————————————

"Okay, now we need some pro... provi..." Sakura muttered as she read with great difficulty from the small slip of parchment she was holding.

"Provisions?" Syaoran suggested.

"Yeah, that's it! Thanks!"

"These characters are sure hard to make sense of," Fay observed. "Good thing you can read them, Syaoran-kun, or else Kuro-tako'd be more than a liiittle displeased with us for not buying what he told us to!"

It was late morning and Sakura, Syaoran and Fay had gone out to buy some necessary supplies. It was better to have the dull, but needed, business of gathering their things over and done with before tomorrow. Hopefully, Kurogane and Fay would obtain ample information from the pickpocket when they would meet up with him that evening, which would ensure them to be able to set out tomorrow at first light for Solar Tower.

Kurogane had drawn up a list with the things they would be needing and he had given Syaoran some of his money. "The princess wouldn't know how to tell each coin apart," he had said, "and I don't trust that bastard"—he had pointedly ignored Fay's feigned crushed expression—"so I'm putting you in charge of the change. Make sure the shopkeepers and vendors don't swindle you, but don't give in to outrageously cheap prices," he had cautioned him.

"Because then something is probably wrong with the product in question," Syaoran had replied.

Kurogane had had some difficulty in hiding the fact that he was impressed that Syaoran had managed to remember some of the finer points in their discussion the previous morning. "Right," he had said with the hint of a small smile. Then he had taken off in another direction. Because of their disguise, Kurogane had had to pretend yesterday that he was interested in the price of wine at that season, just in case they were being watched. He had used the pretence of perhaps setting up a business in the capital, so he and Syaoran had also searched for an empty warehouse. Now Kurogane had to somehow spread the word to those he had spoken to that it was no longer in his interests to trade in Sembia. It was the only way they would be able to hide their tracks successfully.

"Doesn't Kurogane-san seem more cheerful to you of late?" Sakura then asked the two of them as they turned a corner.

"Yeah," Syaoran agreed, "ever since we arrived back in his home-world, actually. He seems more open and outgoing, for one thing."

"Yup! He's not so morose and he's even more willing to actually talk."

"Ahhh..." Fay closed his eye in a slow and deliberate wink. "But Kuro-pin wasn't exactly like that from the start, if you recall. He started acting like that only _after_ his little chat with Tomoyo-chan."

Sakura and Fay broke into peals of silvery laughter, but Syaoran's smile was somewhat strained... for _obvious_ reasons (an auburn-haired princess whom he could never admit his feelings to loomed largely in his awareness).

"It's actually very amusing to see Kuro-tako space out sometimes," Fay continued, grinning broadly. "I never thought I'd ever get the chance to see him in such a condition! Did you two notice his face this morning at breakfast? It took all of my willpower to control my teasing-streak."

"Oh, yes," Sakura chuckled. "You know that I can sense emotions and all, and I caught him with his heart all aflutter. He was remembering this specific..." She clamped her mouth shut and blushed furiously. "I'd better stop talking," she muttered, her face still aflame with embarrassment.

Fay laughed uproariously, his cerulean eyes alight with mischief. "Might I be able to convince you to indulge this vital piece of information to me so that I can taunt him about it afterward?" he asked Sakura slyly.

"Of course not, Fay-san!" she said in a shocked voice. "It's much too personal!"

"Awww... Sakura-chaaan, you're taking out all the fuuun in this," he moaned with a little pout.

"I like a good joke as much as the next person," she said defensively, "but this would have been going too far." She raised an eyebrow in question. "You weren't _seriously_ considering to tease Kurogane-san if I told you... _were_ you?"

"Nah, not really. I had a lot of fun at lunch yesterday, but I don't think I should provoke him too much. Yesterday was a bad day for him." Fay paused. "At least about Tomoyo-chan," he decided. Then his face suddenly lit up. "But that doesn't mean I can't tease him about other things," he said brightly. "That's such a relief! I was having trouble controlling myself today at breakfast."

Sakura and Syaoran exchanged amused expressions and grinned in spite of themselves. Fay's attitude definitely wasn't about to change anytime soon.

Sakura suddenly frowned. "But now that I think about it, I wasn't even trying to sense him," she mused, tapping her chin with her forefinger thoughtfully.

"Well, that's because when you sense someone's emotions you're doing it consciously," Fay explained, reverting to a more serious frame of mind. "You reach out to someone with your thought—meaning that you probe someone's emotions with your awareness—and he doesn't even realize it, unless he's highly skilled at magic and unless you do it subtly. But if someone's emotions are very intense, or if someone's feeling something very strong at the moment, you're liable to feel it too just by being close-by."

"Is that so?" Sakura sighed heavily. "I don't think I'll ever get the hang of using magic."

"These things take time," Fay told her. "So curb thy impatience and absorb the bounty knowledge doth provide us with to the fullest extent," he advised her with an archaic air.

Sakura giggled at Fay's imitation. "Hey"—she suddenly spotted a sign above a shop to their left—"doesn't that ideogram mean 'provisions'?" She looked down at the parchment in her hand. "It certainly resembles Kurogane-san's spelling of it."

Syaoran checked the list and then shaded his eyes against the sun's glare to better view the sign. He nodded. "Yes. This is our last stop." He walked up confidently to the entrance and stepped in, followed closely by Sakura and Fay.

"Morning to you, kind masters and miss," the shopkeeper greeted them with a stiff bow as soon as they had passed the threshold and gone into the store's interior. The store consisted of one narrow room with tall and cluttered shelves littered with an assortment of foodstuff. The owner himself was swarthy and wore a food-stained apron. He was none too clean, and he was hastily wiping his hands on a dirty rag. "Now, what brings you three here?" Despite his somewhat untidy appearance, his manners were at least passable.

"We'd like to buy some travel rations," Syaoran responded politely. "Enough for... six days," he added after a quick calculation.

As the owner began to suggest a variety of goods and Syaoran began to haggle with him about the prices, Sakura allowed her mind to wander. As she recalled, it was only two days to Solar Tower, and it was a one-way trip, for as soon as they retrieved her memory they would be on their way to the next world. Why need provisions for six days? Then she remembered with a sudden pang that Kurogane would have to return to Shirasagi Castle afterward. She fingered the small bit of parchment and sighed heavily. She still hadn't gotten quite used to the idea that they would part with him when this was all over.

"Do we have an agreement?" Syaoran asked the shopkeeper firmly after several minutes.

"You've gone and ruined me, that you have," the owner said, referring to the price as he sadly shook his head. He began to pluck various items from the shelves and stuff them in a bulky canvas bag. "I think I've seen you around before," he suddenly said in a conversational tone to him as he continued to fill the sack. "You passed outside yesterday morning with a tall black-haired fellow, didn't you?"

"I suppose so," Syaoran admitted carefully, wondering if this man had anything to do with Sakura's feather. "My master does, in fact, match that description. We were inquiring about the wine market this season."

"Any specific preferences?"

Syaoran knew that he was treading on dangerous ground and that he had to phrase his next words with the utmost care. Even Sakura and Fay had become more alert, and the atmosphere, unknown to the owner, had become tense. Sakura looked at Fay mutely, and he nodded slightly. She took a deep breath to clear her mind, set on probing the owner's awareness.

"My master is particularly interested in the quality surrounding saké," Syaoran said. "The demand is high this year."

"But I take it things didn't go according to plan?" the shopkeeper asked him shrewdly. "Good saké is hard to come by in these parts."

"Yes. Unfortunately, my master learned that the hard way. We're on our way to Jorsan to try our luck there." He chose a random name off the map, safely far from the capital.

"Jorsan?" the shopkeeper mused, tying up the sack. "That name rings a bell. Isn't it close to the border?"

"Yes," Syaoran admitted. "As is common knowledge, the rice fields there are quite fertile, which means a good amount of saké must have been let to ferment by now since they harvested them a few months ago." He was coming up with plausible facts on the spot, not even knowing if he was doing the right thing or not.

"That they are, that they are," the owner sighed wistfully, handing the sack over to Fay.

Syaoran paid the agreed price and bid the owner a polite farewell before they stepped out of the shop and onto the chilly street, making their way back to the inn. "Well, Sakura-chan?" Fay asked her expectantly. "Should we start suspecting that shopkeeper?"

"It was rather pointless sensing him," she said critically. "There was nothing of earth-shattering importance in his questions. It was a feeble attempt to see if he had done well in agreeing on the price he and Syaoran had settled on. He wanted to discover Syaoran's social status to see if he had gained or lost. He was only interested in talking shop, and he was also feeling rather peevish because of a previous customer with very rude manners." She shrugged. "As I said, it was a waste of time."

Fay blinked. "Sakura-chan, you managed to sort through all of his individual little quirks!" he exclaimed in surprise.

"Is that a good thing?" she asked him anxiously.

"I'll say! You're getting much better at sensing people!"

Sakura beamed with pride.

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Kurogane roamed the streets, making his way back to the _Dragon's Den_. Although the sky had remained clear all morning, the streets were still cluttered with snowdrifts, and the chill, dry odor of the air warned him that it would start raining before nightfall.

Kurogane's task had been successfully accomplished without any incidents. When some had asked him why he had changed his mind he had said that it simply did not suit him any longer to set up his business in Sembia (a good number of the wine-merchants had been evidently relieved that there would be no more competition to deal with).

Kurogane scratched at his cheek absent-mindedly, scrunching his face up in a self-accusatory expression. Something seemed odd and out of place. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he had the vague feeling that something was terribly wrong. He had had this feeling of wrongness ever since he had regained consciousness a little over a week ago.

He was suddenly interrupted in his musings by the familiar prickling sensation running along the back of his neck, making his hair stand on end. Someone was watching him.

Kurogane gave no outer indication that he had sensed anything and he continued along the street at a forced leisurely pace. However, his right hand was concealed beneath his cloak, and it sought out the hilt of his dagger. Kurogane turned to the right and stepped up to a garment seller's stall, making a show of inspecting his displayed wares. Kurogane's crimson eyes traveled around himself in search of the watcher, and, after a few moments, he located him; the tall silhouette of a man cowled in a tattered cloak at the mouth of an alleyway, standing in plain slight.

It was the mage.

Kurogane was not sure of it, but it looked like a sort of shimmering halo surrounded him, emitting a pale glow of white light. Kurogane frowned in confusion. Why wasn't the mage taking any care to hide himself? Kurogane fingered a silken scarf thoughtfully, pretending to be interested in it.

"Here now," the seller said in a rather irritated-sounding tone of voice, "what do you think you're doing there?"

Kurogane arched an eyebrow at him lazily. "You don't expect me to purchase something without examining it first, do you?"

Inwardly pleased at the prospect of a buyer, the seller suddenly became unctuously polite. "Oh, of course not, sir."

Kurogane sniffed as he looked down at the scarf. It was actually quite soft and wispy to the touch, and a pretty pale lavender color. Kurogane thought that it might look rather nice on Tomoyo. He frowned again, contemplating on what would be the best course to follow in dealing with the mage. But there was no need to, for at that moment the mage shimmered and vanished, yet again without a trace.

Kurogane closed his left hand in a fist and clenched his teeth together. "Damn it," he swore under his breath.

"Pardon?" the seller asked him, eyeing him curiously.

"Nothing," Kurogane mumbled.

"Have you made your decision yet, sir?"

"Oh... right." Kurogane shrugged as he cleared his throat, impulsively making up his mind. "So, how much is this?" he asked, holding up the scarf.

The seller's expression turned greedy. "It is of the finest silk in the land. It costs no more than six golds."

Kurogane choked slightly on the price. "Six?!" He held up the scarf in the seller's face and waved it slightly. "For a little thing like this? I could buy a heavy winter cloak at less than _half_ the price."

They haggled for around ten minutes, and Kurogane left with a triumphant smirk on his face, managing to pay the price he had wanted. He safely stowed away the lavender scarf inside his cloak and continued on his way at a hurried walk.

Well, the whole morning hadn't been a _complete_ waste of time. Kurogane had purchased a little present for Tomoyo, and he had also spotted the mage again. Kurogane's brow creased. What on earth did the mage want from them? Kurogane still felt as is he were missing something—and something important—and it continued to nag at him as he made his way back to the inn.

———————————————

"...So, this young thief will give us the information tonight," Fay concluded as he took a sip from his saké. "Hopefully, we'll be able to make use of it."

Sakura, Syaoran, and Fay were in the inn's common room, drifting over their finished lunch, and the blond wizard had found the opportunity to tell Syaoran what had happened last night at the _Red Rose_. It was nearing three hours after noon, and Kurogane still hadn't arrived yet.

Syaoran frowned in thought, mulling over what Fay had told him as he considered the possibility of there being any connections with his recent dream.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd, though?" Sakura wondered. "We know that the One Without Destiny somehow 'encouraged' the tavern keeper to 'forget' about him, which means that he probably did something similar to those who were working there too, now that I think about it. And then you just so happen to bump into this kid, who just so happens to offer to gather the information you want."

"It _does_ sound sort of suspicious when you say it that way." Fay nodded. "I think you're on to something."

Encouraged by Fay's support, Sakura continued her speculation. "I just get the feeling that we're being led around... as if someone's helping us."

"Or interfering with us," Syaoran said darkly.

Fay scratched at his cheek. "I've been having an ill feeling ever since we left Shirasagi," he admitted. "Like something dreadful is going to happen soon."

At that moment, Kurogane ambled into the common room. Spotting the threesome after scanning the room with a cursory glance, he made his way to them, winding through the other tables.

"Didn't I tell you he'd eventually arrive for lunch?" Fay asked the adolescents cheerfully. "Doggies always come home when they get hungry!" He looked up at Kurogane, who had just reached their sides at that moment, with a big smile. "So what took you so long, Kuro-wankoro? I would've expected you to be the first one here!"

"Never mind that now," Kurogane said tersely, sinking into the vacant cushion beside him. "I saw that guy again," he told them in a bleak tone as he shrugged off his cloak.

"Who?" Syaoran demanded, raising his head sharply.

"That mage," Kurogane spat, pouring himself some saké. "I was on my way back here when my instincts kicked in again, warning me that I was being watched." He drank some wine from his cup and pulled his untouched plate toward him. "And then I saw him in front of an alley right in plain sight, sticking out like a sore thumb. And... I'm not sure, it could've been a trick of the light... but it looked like he was glowing, too."

"Glowing?" Fay asked him intently, sitting up straighter. "Glowing how?"

Kurogane scratched at his chin thoughtfully. "It was something like... a faint white light, bringing out his outline."

Fay frowned. "Go on," he said slowly.

"That's it," Kurogane shrugged. "He looked at me, I looked at him, and then he disappeared again." He speared a rice ball, shoving it in his mouth and chewing it vigorously. He hadn't realized how hungry he was.

"Doesn't it seem a little weird that only Kuro-sama's ever seen the mage?" Fay mused after a few moments.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Kurogane demanded hotly.

"No," Fay shook his head, "I was merely pointing out an observation. I mean, if this mage were after all of us, wouldn't he have been spying on _us_, too? Well, I didn't sense anyone near us while we were shopping. Did you, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura shook her head in the negative. "Nothing at all."

"Hang on," Kurogane interjected. "Lemme get this straight. You think this so-called mage's after me? What for?"

Fay grinned foolishly. "It _is_ a little far-fetched, isn't it?"

Kurogane said nothing as he ate another rice ball. Was the probability of him being the mage's goal far-fetched, or did it just so happen to be the real case? Kurogane honestly had no idea what to surmise.

Syaoran's eyes suddenly widened in revelation as he drew in his breath sharply. "I think I've got it!" he exclaimed excitedly as he snapped his fingers.

"Got what?" Kurogane said.

"What's going on," Syaoran replied, his expression elevated. "Remember the part in the Prophecy Tomoyo-hime said didn't exist before? The one that says that Fei Wang Reed sent the One Without Destiny after us? It _also_ says, _'And whilst they do not come face to face with the Dark One, the new piece shalt presently be added to the game, the Mage, to bring the numbers into balance with the interference of the One Without Destiny.'_ _That's_ the mage Kurogane-san saw! The Mage!"

"Wait a minute, Syaoran-kun," Fay said, holding up a hand. "We don't even know this person. Who can guarantee us that he's on our side?"

_"'Bring the numbers into balance,'"_ Syaoran quoted. "It's painstakingly obvious that the One Without Destiny is too strong for us, which means that someone of equal strength will help us! That's the mage!"

"I don't know..." Fay said dubiously. "Let's assume for a moment that this is the case. If it is, then why hasn't the mage shown himself?"

"But he has," Syaoran pointed out. "Kurogane-san's seen him twice."

"Yes, but what makes you think it's been the mage 'helping' us?" Fay protested. "If he were on our side, wouldn't he have tried to make contact with us?"

"Maybe he's looking for the right moment to approach us," Sakura suggested.

"I just don't think we should jump to conclusions," Fay said. "There must be a reason behind all of this. What does he want from us?"

"I don't think this mage is after us," Kurogane disagreed. "If he was, wouldn't he have attacked us already?"

"Who knows how the minds of those with nearly unlimited powers work?" Fay mused quietly. He sat in silent thought for a few moments, then shook his head slightly, as if coming out of a daze. "This mage is a powerful being," he explained. "He's even stronger than the One Without Destiny and probably even stronger than Tomoyo-chan."

Kurogane crossed his arms over his chest and scowled darkly. "Tomoyo's the most powerful sorceress in this world," he said in a voice ringing with pride. "Her powers are what keep Nihon safe from both dark _and_ mundane forces. If it hadn't been for Tomoyo, Nihon would've been suppressed by other countries ages ago." He smirked. "All the other monarchs thought it'd be easy to conquer Nihon when she first ascended the throne because of her young age, but she sure showed them."

Fay rolled his eyes skyward and rubbed at his temple with a forefinger. "Don't let your feelings for her blind you from the obvious," he told the gloating ninja critically. "Tomoyo-chan's not all-powerful."

"What do _you_ know?" Kurogane snapped, by his tone obviously dismissing Fay's words.

"More than you," Fay retorted, finally losing his patience with him. "It's not like you have any idea on magic, after all."

Kurogane shrugged indifferently, taking another sip from his cup. It stung him to admit that he lacked in any category, especially if Fay surpassed him in it (even though that category was magic, a category that Kurogane failed to fully comprehend).

"There are things most practitioners of magic would _never_ dare to do," Fay told them in a low voice, with the air of one speaking from experience. "And yet, there are others who have given everything up—and I _mean_ everything—to achieve their ends... no matter what the consequences. Just like our enemies. They'll stop at nothing to get their hands on what they want."

"Sakura's memories," Syaoran muttered darkly. "But how will we determine if the mage is like that?"

"I'll have to see him for myself. I can't reach a conclusion without a careful examination." He suddenly chuckled good-naturedly. "It'd be like trying to decide if the weather's fine without looking at the sky!"

Sakura shook her head, frowning. Their whole discussion on the mage was pure speculation, useless guessing that circled and circled and never got to the point. It was obvious that they couldn't do anything about him, so why bother in even trying?

Sakura cleared her throat loud enough to be heard. Once she had gotten their attention, she clasped her hands before her. "We've drifted from our original topic," she said briskly. "What we have to do is focus on one thing and that's the One Without Destiny. Everything else is secondary, including that mage." She eyed them each speculatively.

"You two," she said, pointing two fingers at Fay and Kurogane, who exchanged surprised looks at her sudden superiority, "are going to find out all you can on the One Without Destiny from that young thief when you go to that tavern tonight. If the information is not sufficient, you will thoroughly question the regular customers. And you," she said, rounding on a startled-looking Syaoran and shaking her forefinger, "are going to study that Prophecy front and back, until we manage to gather more information on the One Without Destiny. We will _not _go to that meeting at Solar Tower unprepared. I don't want anyone getting hurt because of our ignorance. Since we have a chance to discover our enemy's weaknesses, I say we take full advantage of it. Oh, and Moko-chan and I will pack our things and help Syaoran out with the Prophecy," she added. She raised her eyebrows. "Any questions?"

"No, Your Highness," Fay said with a totally straight face.

Sakura blinked. "Since when have you been calling me by my royal title?" she asked him, baffled.

"Since when have you been handing out royal commands?" Fay countered, flashing a mischievous grin.

"Oh..." Sakura blushed sheepishly. "I guess I got a little carried away," she giggled, sweat-dropping.

"That's what I call the making of a good ruler," Fay commented, still grinning hugely. "Sakura-chan's just proven the superiority of the female mind. Now why didn't any of us think of her nice simple solutions to our problems?"

Sakura smiled sweetly. "If I _wanted_ to be spiteful, I _could_ say that it was because you're men, and you men just _adore_ unnecessary complications. It's not nice to be spiteful, though, so I won't say it." She gave them an arch little look. "I may _think_ it, but I won't _say_ it," she added brightly. She had always had a streak of mischievous impishness, and she had always wanted to say something like that. Admittedly, she had been reserving that little speech for her brother for ages now.

Syaoran's expression was one of shock, whereas Kurogane looked scandalized. Fay shook his head in mock self-pity. He then collapsed over the table, laughing uproariously.

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"Move it," Kurogane barked as he drew his hood up. "We'll be drenched if we don't hurry." He continued along the street, his long legs stretching out in a rapid stride, leaving Fay to lag behind.

Fay sighed in resignation, pulling up his own hood and quickening his pace to match Kurogane's. "Does it really matter if we're a few minutes late?" he huffed.

"Of course," Kurogane snapped impatiently.

"Well, it _is_ raining," Fay gasped, trying to keep up with him. "Won't he understand?"

Kurogane slowed down enough to turn his head and give Fay a withering look of superiority. He turned forward again and said, "For people in his profession, timing is everything. If we're not there soon that sneak might just get up and leave. And where would that leave us?"

"Back at the start," Fay mourned, making a sour face when he stepped in a pool of rainwater, the water splashing up and soaking his legs. "So... how is it that you know so much about thieves?"

"I've had dealings with these kind of people before," Kurogane replied curtly.

"I see," Fay chuckled nastily. "You're not as innocent as I thought, then!"

Kurogane muttered an oath under his breath and pulled his cloak tighter about himself, trying to ignore both the annoying rain dripping down his back and Fay's annoying comments, which droned on and on.

After a few minutes, Kurogane and Fay eventually reached the _Red Rose_. It was with an evident sense of relief that they entered the warm interior, despite its bawdy atmosphere, escaping from the wrath of the squall, their cloaks heavy with rainwater. They made their way to the table they had been sitting at last night, where the boy-thief was waiting for them. His appearance was equally bedraggled as theirs, his arms were crossed over his chest, and he was scowling at them.

"And here I thought _your_ glares were intimidating," Fay murmured to Kurogane as they took their seats at the table. "Hello there!" he greeted the youth enthusiastically.

"You're late," the boy said in a flat voice.

"Sorry about that," Fay apologized with a sheepish grin, pulling off his cloak. "I hope you didn't have to wait too long!"

"I was beginning to think you weren't desperate for that information. You sure acted like it was important yesterday."

At that moment, a serving-girl approached their table. She was a medium-sized brunette who seemed more modest and subdued than the previous barmaid. "Welcome to the _Red Rose_," she said in a soft, timid voice. "May I please take your orders?"

"Saké," the boy said promptly. "And leave the bottle here."

Kurogane and Fay exchanged surprised looks, but made no comment.

As soon as the barmaid had left, the boy arched a curious eyebrow at the two of them. "That's probably the only somewhat drinkable thing they've got here," he told them with the air of one who knew more than them on the subject. "Everything else is like pig-swill."

"How many times _do_ you come here?" Fay asked the thief curiously in an attempt to make friendly conversation.

The boy shrugged. "Not too often for them to say I'm a regular patron, and yet not too rarely for me to stick out. It's actually a lucky thing for your red-eyed friend over here. The usual serving-wench would've probably been even more persistent in pursuing him if she wasn't busy at the moment." He frowned. "Did you want to continue with this pointless discussion or did you want to cut down to the chase?"

"You certainly speak your mind," Fay chuckled.

"I'm a little pressed for time. I've got to rob two houses before morning, you see."

"You take your line of work very seriously, don't you?"

"I have to if I want to keep my throat from being cut. Must we really go on with this meaningless chatter?"

"My sentiments exactly," Kurogane grunted.

The serving-maid returned and left them with three cups and a wine bottle. She bowed slightly and then went to another table to take orders, where some more soaked customers who had just arrived had taken their seats.

"So," Kurogane said, turning back to the thief, "I assume you managed to gather what we need?"

"Well, I _did_ learn quite a bit. But before we get down to the details, I'd like for us to clarify something."

"Oh?" Fay piped up, pouring himself some of the wine. "Exactly what do you need clarified?"

The boy rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. "The price," he answered bluntly. "Information's valuable, and I can tell by the way you're acting that you two want it badly. I don't know if your intentions are honorable or not, and frankly, I don't care. The less I know the better, right? What I want to make is a tidy profit." He crossed his arms. "So how desperate are you two to get this information on the One Without Destiny? It'd better be worth my trudging through fragrant alleys and hiding in moldy cellars."

Fay turned to Kurogane with a hopeful and expectant little smile, and Kurogane groaned as he fished out some coins from his money-pouch, muttering under his breath.

"Tell me when you run out of words," the thief said in an amused tone. "I'm a fairly good swearer."

"You've got sharp ears," Kurogane grunted as he counted out how much money he had left.

"Pretty useful in hearing floorboards creak. It wouldn't do any good for a thief to be caught while he's working." He eyed Kurogane evenly. "Yesterday was an accident. It was the first time I'd ever been caught." He seemed to be implying something with his explanation.

"How's this?" Kurogane asked, laying two golds and three silvers on the table.

The boy scooped up the money, smiling wickedly. "Just fine... for a start."

Kurogane made a weird strangling noise, causing Fay to snigger heartily.

"Let's see..." the boy mused, leaning back. "Around two years ago, a vagabond arrived in Sembia. No one knew where he came from, but then, no one really cared to find out back then. Who'd ever pay attention to a homeless traveler? But the point is that he wasn't just any vagabond. For one thing, he aroused suspicions because he never removed his hooded cloak. No one ever got the chance to see his face, so many assumed that he was either ghastly deformed, or that he was taking great care to hide himself. Personally, I agree with the second opinion. If _I_ was deformed, I wouldn't even dare to show myself in public.

"As I was saying, he wasn't your everyday run-of-the-mill wanderer. He had a purpose, a purpose, though, which isn't very clear." He sniffed professionally. "He firstly came to this tavern, looking for a place to stay. At first, the tavern keeper was reluctant to border the vagabond, because when he asked him if he had any money on him he actually said that he didn't, which was really stupid of him, in my opinion. Instead, the vagabond offered to entertain his customers. When the tavern keeper inquired as to what sort of entertainment he would provide, the vagabond told him that he was a traveling magician, and that he could amuse the customers as long as he stayed in Sembia."

"Amuse them in what way?" Fay inquired.

"He performed tricks," the boy explained. "Little lights would dance around his fingers, he'd create illusions of fabulous treasures and beautiful women, he'd make himself disappear and appear in another place in the room... stuff like that."

"Amateur," Fay sniffed in an undertone.

"Each night he'd eat his dinner in the tavern," the thief continued, "fool around with the more sleazy serving-wenches, and then he'd stand on his feet and make the same boring old speech in a thunderous voice. Pretty illuminating to what you'd might need, though," he added slyly. "He'd basically introduce himself as the One Without Destiny and say that there'd be a time when worlds would collide... or something like that. He was speaking with 'thee's' and 'thou's', so it was a little hard for me to follow him. Most people who start throwing those kinds of words around are raving lunatics." He shrugged helplessly. "Then the One Without Destiny would perform his regular show.

"Now, it just so happened that he became extremely famous. Every day he'd go out into the city and every night he'd return to the tavern and have his regular meal. By now, the tavern keeper didn't even mind that the One Without Destiny didn't pay for his room or meals because of his outstanding reputation. The tavern would be packed each night with people to see him, ensuring a nice profit for the tavern keeper.

"And this is actually the interesting part," the boy said eagerly. It was evident that he had been caught up with his own story, and seemed to be reaching the climax of his telling. "It happened around a year ago. The One Without Destiny attracted a very unusual customer one night... none other than that traitor, Prince Dai." He spat out the name with disgust. "He was the most revolting man you could ever clap your eyes on. He just came in one night, all high and mighty as if he owned the world, bawling for saké. The One Without Destiny was just about to make his regular speech when he saw the Prince. Now, this is actually the weird part, because instead of going on with his usual show, he told the room at large that he'd do something different, just for the honor of _His Royal Highness_," he said, emphasizing the last words with heavy sarcasm. "The One Without Destiny parted his cloak slightly, revealing these weird tight-fitting shiny black clothes—something like what warriors wear since a hakama would be cumbersome in a fight—and he pulled out something that was glowing like mad. It was this weird-looking feather in a ball of bright white light."

Fay and Kurogane exchanged furtive looks of understanding. That had to be, without a doubt, Sakura's memory fragment.

"So the One Without Destiny raised it above his head and said directly to him, _'If thine soul is as black as thine mind, exchange it for that which thine black heart craves for.'_ Well, it sounded like a bunch of mumbo-jumbo to me, but the Prince seemed to act as if those words had been very important. The One Without Destiny then put the pretty feather away and began his usual tricks. But afterward, instead of retiring for the night, he settled down at the Prince's table. Now, I was real curious at this change in the vagabond's performance, so I eavesdropped.

"He told him that he could recognize a 'kindred spirit' when he saw one, and asked him to what extremes he'd go to to get his hands on what he wants. Dai-ouji said that he'd do anything for power. So the One Without Destiny said that he'd help Dai-ouji if Dai-ouji helped him. Then they went upstairs to talk in greater detail. I couldn't follow because of his two bodyguards guarding the stairway, but when he came down an hour later he seemed even more vile-looking than he had been at first. It was obvious that those two were up to something.

"And then, a few days later, Prince Dai came back to talk with the vagabond again, but he didn't have his bodyguards with him this time. Instead, he had this warrior who was dressed up like a ninja. Now, this seemed really fishy to me, because he'd always said that he loathed those people living over in Nihon. You wouldn't believe how put out he was when his father signed a peace treaty with Princess Tomoyo. Dai-ouji's outraged screams could be heard all over Sembia," he snickered. "Well, this peculiar procedure happened again a few more times. Prince Dai would come, sometimes alone or sometimes with that ninja guy, and talk with the One Without Destiny.

"Now, I don't know if this is somehow connected with that magician-vagabond, but a little later Prince Dai actually _goes_ to Nihon and starts courting Princess Tomoyo. Now, I started getting pretty suspicious at that point, because he'd never even look at a girl from Nihon, let alone touch her. Thinks they're contagious or something."

Kurogane inhaled deeply, trying to keep himself under control, for he was feeling an uncontrollable hot anger begin to boil inside him. How _dare_ that despicable excuse for a prince deceive Tomoyo in such a manner?

"Well," the boy continued, "he must've charmed her somehow or other, eventually proposing marriage to her, and everything seemed to be going on smoothly. Now—I haven't really gotten this part straightened out—but something happened at the would-be wedding. The way I get it, is that an assassin hired by Dai-ouji had been handsomely paid to murder Tomoyo-hime that day, but one of her ninja found out and saved her. Next thing we simple folk know is that the prince is dead—under mysterious circumstances if I should believe my sources—and that he had betrayed his father with his plans, nearly causing Nihon to go to war with us. Dai-ouji had been planning to totally annihilate Nihon and make it a Sembian province, but the truth was revealed with the would-be assassin's failure.

"I bet the One Without Destiny must've egged him on, because Dai-ouji was a pretty wimpy kind of person to decide to do something like that on his own. Not to mention that around a week ago the One Without Destiny just disappeared without a trace." He spread his hands. "That's it. Everyone's baffled by why and how he suddenly vanished, but, as I said, it's probably connected with what happened to Prince Dai."

Kurogane leaned forward to eye the boy-thief with a penetrating gaze. "You haven't been spinning tales out of thin air there, have you?" he asked him in a low voice.

The boy shook his head. "I have it on good authority that all of this information's true. I even asked several others to get another opinion on some facts. I discarded conflicting opinions which were probably falsehoods, and I gave you this abbreviated version."

"So you've been telling us the truth?"

"As far as I know, yes."

Kurogane tossed his money pouch to the astonished-looking thief. "It's all yours," he said as he quickly wrapped himself in his cloak.

The boy opened it and peered inside. "What?!" he gasped. "All this?!"

"Yours," Kurogane repeated firmly. "You've been a goldmine of information." He turned to Fay. "Let's go," he hissed impatiently.

"Okay, okay," Fay muttered, drawing on his cloak and getting to his feet. "Thanks a lot," he said to the thief in a gesture of farewell.

The boy raised his hand and waved at them absent-mindedly, his attention on the money he was fervently counting. They quickly scurried out of the tavern and out into the downpour (with Fay complaining that he hadn't gotten a chance to finish his drink and that he was not really keen on getting soaked and with Kurogane resisting the urge to strangle him).

However, they had both failed to notice that someone had been watching them. The man was large and muscular, and his face was heavily scarred. Unlike yesterday, he was presently unaccompanied by his companions. It had given him a chance to hear in on the conversation, which he had not been able to do properly last time. He had heard the entire conversation and now knew with certainty that this was the pair he and his companions had been ordered to dispose of.

He drained the rest of his drink and hauled himself to his feet, donning his cloak and trudging out the door. He would have to make a side-trip to pick up the rest of his associates, but that was of little consequence. He knew their final destination, so intercepting them on the way would prove to be a simple chore. The price was, after all, well worth the trouble. His upper lip curled as he grinned maliciously, absently stroking at the heavy sword strapped at his side with a caressing forefinger. His blade would taste the sweet flavor of fresh blood soon enough.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** This was basically the chapter where we find out a little more abut the enemy they'll be facing soon enough; the One Without Destiny. And why this fic is called When Worlds Collide, too! ;)

Rereading this I suddenly realized that the boy-thief basically has two pages to himself with his massive monologue. And I never even mentioned his name! Well, I never really thought of one, but it's a bit ridiculous when I gave him so much screen time, haha. I hope I've gotten you guys itching to read the next chapter and find out what happens to Kurogane and Fay!

Oh, I just forgot to mention one more thing. What Sakura says about men was totally snagged from somewhere. It's one of the kind of things that sticks with you, you know? XP I hope it didn't make my male readers feel bad, though. I just couldn't resist the fact that... girls rule and boys drool! Okay, that was bad, sorry...

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	15. The Eye Of The Beholder

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 15 — The Eye Of The Beholder**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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Tattered sheets of slanting rain pounded mercilessly on the cobbled streets. The rain that fell was cold, a rain which would swiftly turn to sleet, and then into snow. A deep rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, and a jagged flash of lightening split the sky, momentarily lighting the streets up. No one in their right mind would dare to brave the forthcoming storm.

Fay was soaked through, the hem of his heavy cloak dragging in the muddy waters as he strode after Kurogane as quickly as his tired legs could afford him. The rain continued to dribble down his back, plastering his clothes to him like a second skin. The air was cold, and the fact that the wind tore at him, making his bedraggled garments stick even more firmly upon him, wasn't helping in the slightest. Fay was feeling pretty sorry for himself right about then, and he was beginning to wonder what he had ever done to deserve tromping through ice-cold rain in the middle of the night.

He suddenly sneezed violently. "Oh, dear," he sniffled. "I think I'm going to catch a cold."

Fay might as well have been conversing with a brick wall for all it was worth. He jogged along a little and fell into step beside the dark-garbed ninja. "Kuro-taaan," he drawled. "How far is it to the inn?"

"'Bout fifteen more minutes," Kurogane grated out the reply. _And don't you dare say another word, 'cause I've had it up to here with all your whining_, he added silently.

"I'm going to catch pneumonia before long," Fay said gloomily. "I just know it."

Kurogane clenched his teeth together in irritation. He had just about had enough of Fay's chatter (for the flaxen-haired wizard had been talking almost non-stop since they had left the tavern) and was beginning to find the idea of giving him a punch very appealing when he suddenly froze in his tracks, tilting his head to one side. He thought he could hear something other than the steady tattoo of the rain in the darkness. "Can you hear that?" he whispered, concentrating on seeking out the sound.

Fay raised an eyebrow curiously. "What is it?" All he could see were the dark and oppressive buildings gleaming with the rain, and the only sound he could hear was the sound of the rain.

"Something's not right..." Kurogane muttered as he narrowed his eyes, searching for the source of his unease. He suddenly grabbed Fay's cloak and jerked him to the side, shouting, "Look out!" just as a thrown dagger narrowly grazed the wizard's shoulder.

"Yikes!" Fay gulped, eyeing the space where he had been only moments before with a nervous gaze. "That was close!"

"Too close for my liking," Kurogane grunted.

Suddenly, shadowy shapes approached them from all around, slipping out into the open from narrow alleyways and dark walls. There were about twenty figures in total, and all were shrouded in heavy cloaks which obscured their faces. They closed in on the hapless duo, gleaming knives in their fists.

"Damn it," Kurogane cursed under his breath. "We're surrounded."

One of the figures took a few steps forward. He towered above all the rest, and as he approached, something hidden in his cloak clinked. He threw back his hood, ignoring the rain, as he revealed deep-sunken eyes under a shaggy mane of gray hair and a heavily scarred face.

Fay gasped. "It's him! That guy in the tavern yesterday!"

"I know," Kurogane said, eyeing the scarred man with a strange glint in his crimson eyes.

"Well, well, well," the man said tauntingly in a deep baritone voice. "What do we have 'ere? A couple o' mice caugh' in a trap, eh?"

Kurogane did not reply, but his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What's the matter? Cat got yer tongue?" He roared with laughter at his own joke, and the other ruffians guffawed along unintelligibly.

"Stand aside," Kurogane snarled.

"An' what if me 'n me mates jus' stay put, eh?" the scarred man said with the veiled hint of a threat. "We're gonna make ourselves a grea' big pile o' money by killin' yeh two off."

"That doesn't sound too promising," Fay murmured dryly.

"What do you want?" Kurogane asked the roughneck in an ominous voice.

The scarred man arched a grizzled eyebrow. "Now, don' play coy with me. I can see by yer face tha' yeh know perf'ctly well wha' we want. We got our orders. Though, I mus' say, it'll be an honor to do _yeh_ in." He paused, and his face broke into a huge, mirthless smile. "Isn' tha' right... Kurogane?"

Fay started violently. "Do you two _know_ each other?!" he asked Kurogane in a shocked voice.

"It's not tha' we know each other person'lly," the scarred man interjected. "It's jus' tha' this man's rep'tation precedes 'im. Everyone's heard o' the strongest ninja from Nihon. Though I mus' say I'm a tad dis'ppointed. They say tha' yeh drink the blood o' yer enemies an' tha' yeh'd never pass off the opp'tunity to kill anyone who even so much as looks at yeh in a weird way." He crossed his arms. "I was expectin' yeh to be more impr'ssive-looking."

Kurogane gave no indication that he had been affected by the scarred man's words.

Whether the man was trying to force Kurogane into doing something rash with falsehoods or whether the man's words were true, Fay honestly did not know what to believe. He was seeing a whole new side to Kurogane, and he wasn't sure if it was for the better.

"Who hired you?" Kurogane demanded in a growl.

"I suppose it won' make much o' a diff'rence if I tell yeh," the man decided. "Yeh oughtta be flattered an' all abou' the price, though." He grinned eagerly, and Fay saw that he was missing a few teeth. "Me 'n me mates aren' really squeamish with a bi' too much blood when we slit throats an' all, so I'll tell yeh who paid us when yeh chokin' on yer own blood."

"Urgh," Fay shivered. "Spare me the graphic descriptions." His comment was more in the nature of trying to calm his nerves rather than because he found the scarred man's threats humorous.

Something flashed in Kurogane's eyes, as if he seemed to come to a decision. "Why don't we test that and see if it's not the other way around?" he said in a deadly voice.

Scar-face smiled gruesomely as he parted his cloak, revealing a heavy sword strapped at his waist. He drew it out with a steely hiss and hefted it in his hands with the bearing of one very experienced with the specific weapon. He raised the massive blade to his face and licked it with apparent relish. "Why don' we?"

Kurogane slowly removed his cumbersome winter cloak and let it fall to the ground, not wishing for its amplified weight by the rain to impede his movements. He spread his hands and crouched low, flexing his fingers as he readied himself for battle. His hot breath steamed in the chill air, and the corners of his mouth twitched to form an evil-looking grin. He was in his element now, and that meant that he had the upper hand, even though the cutthroats surpassed him in numbers.

Fay also readied himself, raising his arms slightly while assuming a defensive stance. Although he was not as skilled as Kurogane in combat, he was nevertheless competent enough to be able to fend off anyone who would come within range.

The rain seemed to intensify and another flash of lightning streaked across the sky. Neither Kurogane, nor the scar-faced man made a move. The rainwater trickled down Kurogane's limbs, but he paid no attention to it; his focus was entirely upon his opponent.

The first move was made by a lanky, middle-aged man with a protuberant nose, his steps swift as he rushed at Kurogane with a hoarse cry, his stiletto poised upward. Kurogane easily avoided the clumsy head-on attack by stepping to the side and striking his hand down sharply upon the man's forearm, causing him to drop the weapon. With a solid punch in the face, Kurogane promptly knocked him out.

And then the fight commenced.

One of the cutthroats lashed out at Kurogane with a long knife in his hand. Kurogane slammed it aside, and, grasping the man's wrist in a tight grip, twisted it with a sharp snap. The man howled and clutched at his broken wrist in pain, the weapon slipping from his useless hand to the ground.

Fay sprang forward and dealt a stunning high kick at his opponent, sending him reeling backward. He took a few steps back and ducked low, sending another attacker who had been about to lunge at him tumbling to the ground.

Another ruffian sought to drive his blade through Kurogane's chest, but Kurogane jumped back quickly to avoid it, and then, leaping forward, dealt him a stunning uppercut. The blow was so strong that it drew blood, and the would-be-attacker toppled to the ground. Kurogane whirled around to face another foe, and, with a satisfied smirk, jabbed at the man's face, gouging his eye.

With cat-like quickness, Fay nimbly avoided a near death-blow, and, leaping into the air, actually stepped upon a man's face twice before somersaulting in the air and landing smoothly back upon his feet. He twirled to the side and elbowed a man who had been about to plunge his blade into his back. It seemed that wherever Fay turned, another cutthroat was there. _There're too many of them!_ he thought desperately, dodging another roughneck.

Kurogane jumped back to avoid a knife, then threw himself flat on the ground even before the overhand slash aimed for his throat had been swung. He kicked out viciously, his foot making contact with the man's knee. Kurogane twisted the heel of his boot through the knee savagely, breaking it with a sickening crunch. Leaping to his feet, he drew out his hidden dagger in one fluid motion and sliced the crippled man's stomach open, sending him toppling to the ground as he vainly clutched at his vitals.

As if revealing his hidden weapon had been something like a signal, Kurogane began to fight even more fiercely than before, driving the five-inch blade into anyone who dared to get close enough to him. With a deafening roar, he lunged at a terrified roughneck, slashing open his throat. He then whirled around and threw his dagger into another man's chest. The man's eyes rolled into the back of his head, bright blood gushing from his gaping mouth as he collapsed onto the ground. Retrieving his bloodied weapon, Kurogane turned to face another opponent.

It was as if each death Kurogane caused was a release, a release from everything that he suppressed and held inside of himself. His bottled-up anger at finding out how Dai had manipulated Tomoyo had finally found the opportunity to come out in this fight, and all of his pent-up feelings of late also seemed to surge out of him, relieving him of his burdens and responsibilities.

Fay hesitated slightly in the midst of the fight, taken aback at Kurogane's sudden ferocity, which was more than enough for the scarred leader to sneak up on the wizard from behind and twine his arms around his neck. Fay exclaimed in surprise and struggled to break free, but the cutthroat was larger and stronger than him. His forearms were mercilessly pressed against his throat, and Fay could feel himself slowly suffocating. Scar-face smiled mirthlessly and lifted Fay in the air so that his feet would not touch the ground, never relaxing his hold as he continued to choke the life out of him. Fay began to feel light-headed and dizzy, his vision swimming before his eyes and his lungs screaming for the oxygen being denied them. He croaked feebly, trying to pry away the muscular arms of his attacker with weak fingers. If only it would all just end...

Then, suddenly, Kurogane was there. His knife thrust into the leader's hip, seeking and finding his kidney. With a nasty grin, Kurogane twisted the knife through him savagely before jerking the blade back out.

Fay sprawled onto the ground as the scarred man released him. Scar-face howled in pain, his hands clutching at the small of his back where Kurogane had stabbed him as he fell writhing to the ground, his face dead white with pain.

Kurogane drove his knife through the man's chest slowly and deliberately, a fountain of blood spurting out from the man's open mouth. He twisted the blade through him cruelly, causing the man's cries of pain to die off with a gurgling sigh. Kurogane grimly tugged his weapon free and turned to face the last remaining roughnecks.

Fay drew in a shaky breath that seared through his lungs, but it was a wonderful and heavenly sensation. He gulped down the cold air eagerly, as if he had never breathed properly before in his life, coughing and massaging his throat with one hand.

After several moments had passed and he had regained his breath, Fay raised his head. Kurogane was standing a few feet away from him, but all Fay could see of him was his back. Kurogane just stood there, ignoring the incessant rain that continued to fall down upon him, still clutching his blood-encrusted dagger tightly in his right fist.

Fay suddenly realized that the fight must have ended, how, he did not know. "It's over?" he croaked, standing on trembling legs.

"Yes," he heard Kurogane reply in an emotionless voice.

Fay swallowed uneasily, noticing that Kurogane's arms were covered up to the elbows in dark blood. "Are they all... dead?"

"Yes," Kurogane said, again in a voice devoid of feelings.

Fay shifted his weight uneasily, not exactly sure what to say or do. "Are you injured?" he finally asked the ninja, though he had a faint feeling that he already knew the answer.

Kurogane barked out a harsh laugh. He wiped his dagger clean on the hem of his shirt and stuffed it back in its sheath. His blood-red orbs were practically the same shade as the blood smeared on his arms, and they glinted peculiarly in the moonlight.

Fay bit his lip. "That blood...?"

"Not mine," Kurogane said heavily. He looked down at his hands, then turned his face away, shuddering. He had completely lost control over himself. He couldn't even clearly remember what had happened. Flashes of the fight flickered before his eyes, but most of it was a dim haze.

"How do you feel?"

Kurogane shook his head slightly to chase away the images and bent to retrieve his cloak. He closed his eyes for several moments, struggling with himself. "Strange," he finally admitted in a quiet voice. "This time was different than with the mercenaries." He slung his cloak over his shoulder. "But they were trying to kill us," he said defensively, almost as if he were trying to justify his actions. "I had no choice." He turned to face Fay and arched an eyebrow at the blond man. "What about you? Are you hurt?"

"Oh, I suppose I'm as fit as a fiddle," Fay grinned, seeking to somehow break the tension. "If I can get over the fact that I was nearly strangled," he added wryly.

Kurogane mopped at his streaming face with his shirt. "We need to get outta here," he muttered as he started down the street at a quick walk.

"What's the rush, Kuro-sama?" Fay giggled. "It's not like we're _that_ far from the inn. Personally, I'm exhausted, and I can hardly take another step—"

"Cut the chirpy crap and listen to me," he snapped irritably. "We've gotta get out of the city. We have to leave Sembia as soon as possible—in the hour if we can manage it. It's not like these sods were on their own. This was an organized attack, which means that they must have also had some others as a reserve squad. They'll be looking for us once they find out that these bastards failed. And then—"

"They'll head straight for the inn!" Fay gasped, his sky-blue eyes widening as he cast away his pleasant mood. "For Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun!"

———————————————

"What does it say?" Syaoran muttered to himself as he scanned the faint spidery-looking text of the Prophecy. The brittle and yellowed parchment offered no help his way as the ink had faded over the ages, and it was almost impossible to read the passage properly in the dying light of the guttering candle. The flame flickered constantly, drawing designs that danced across the bare white walls.

Syaoran sighed exasperatedly. He had always liked figuring things out for himself, but this was getting ridiculous. He forced himself to look back down at the scroll. In passing, he observed that each ideogram was a work of art, having been beautifully and meticulously drawn. Whoever had written the Prophecy had obviously devoted much patience in its creation.

But as Syaoran's eyes traveled across the text as he unrolled the crackling scroll, his own patience was growing thinner. He clenched his teeth together angrily. There it was! No matter how hard he tried to make out what was written underneath the smeared line he just couldn't tell, and the undeniable fact that he _knew_ there was something of vast importance just out of his reach made him want to howl in aggravation.

Instead, Syaoran exhaled in frustration and raked his hand through his untidy chestnut-colored hair, messing it up even more. Raising his tired eyes from the scroll, he watched the endless rain hammering against the dark windows as his mind drifted back to his latest dream.

_The time is nearing..._ Syaoran recalled. He did not know what significance the statement held, but he could understand that there must be some sort of perplex and obscure meaning behind it. Could it have anything to do with Sakura's memory shard? Could it perhaps have anything to do with the meeting at Solar Tower? Or, as the Prophecy proclaimed, something to do with one of the four of them?

Even if it were something altogether different, what worried Syaoran was that he would be powerless to prevent what was meant to happen. The feeling of helplessness made his blood run cold and his stomach churn. If it were indeed so, what _would_ happen? It seemed as if the voice in his dreams knew for certain what was to come. But were Syaoran's dreams his own, or were they messages of some kind? Were they visions and illusions projected purposefully by their enemies? Were his dreams a way their enemies were using to weaken him, having no real substance or essence? Or maybe a way for their enemies to spy on them, using Syaoran himself as a vessel of some kind?

Syaoran flung the Prophecy away and fell back upon his sleeping mat with a groan. There were so many 'what if's' and 'maybe's' to take into account, and each 'probably' and 'possibly' made his mind reel, causing him to feel as if his head would soon burst and overflow with his futile attempts to discover the truth.

Syaoran frowned and sat up. What was the matter with him? Why was he giving up so easily? It wasn't at all like him to lose hope so quickly, even though this agonizing speculation was probably more than he might be able to handle.

Syaoran sighed as he lay back upon his pallet and closed his eyes, emptying himself of all thought and emotion. Perhaps if he rested for a few moments he'd be able to tackle the Prophecy again with a clearer head. Inevitably, his mind drifted back to memories with Sakura, as it always did when he needed a breather from his research.

Oh, how he missed the times before he and Sakura had embarked upon this quest. They would talk with each other for hours on end, not about anything really specific or important, but there would always be something else to chat about, some other little event that either Syaoran or Sakura had forgotten to mention that would extend the time they spent together.

Syaoran admired everything about Sakura. The way the sunlight would stream through her hair, the way her keen emerald-green eyes would sparkle impishly whenever she was planning anything on her brother, and the way her face would light up with happiness and joy whenever she was enjoying herself tremendously. Sakura was the liveliest and most fantastical person he had ever had the good fortune to meet. Although the Sakura now was still as energetic and cheerful as always, it pained Syaoran that she had become more serious and withdrawn with their journey. He sometimes had an unexplainable impulse to gather her in his arms and assure her that all would be well.

Syaoran reminded himself firmly that he had made a choice. He had willingly sacrificed his past relationship with Sakura, but it was hard not to show her his true emotions. Syaoran's determination to help her was too obvious not to go unnoticed, as had proven all too true in Outo. He had to take great care to hide his true feelings from her. Now that she was able to sense strong emotions others were feeling with her magic...

"Syaoran?" a soft and all too familiar voice suddenly said from above him. "Are you awake?"

Syaoran started and snapped his eyes open. Sure enough, above him was Sakura's smiling face. He was slightly taken aback, for he had not been expecting her, least of all while he had been thinking about her. He then slowly realized that only a few inches separated his face from hers. He blushed furiously as he sat up, turning away from her guiltily.

Sakura blinked in confusion. "Are you all right, Syaoran?" she asked him in genuine concern.

"Er, yeah," Syaoran managed to croak, his cheeks still carrying a faint flush. "You just surprised me, that's all."

"Sorry about that," she apologized. "I didn't mean to startle you." She settled down onto his sleeping mat beside him. "Moko-chan and I were packing our things and we _finally_ finished," she said with evident relief. "It was quite a struggle trying to dig him out of Kurogane-san's pack." Her face took on a worried expression. "Do you think he'll notice if his things are a little mixed up?" Although her tone was serious, her eyes shone mischievously.

"Knowing Kurogane-san, I bet he will," Syaoran replied with a tight grin. "Where _is_ Mokona, by the way?"

"Sleeping. Crawling around all over the place really took a lot out of it." Sakura suddenly frowned, for upon a closer inspection, she noticed that Syaoran's appearance was haggard-looking. "Why, Syaoran, is anything the matter?"

"Oh, no, not really," he assured her. "I was just trying to puzzle something out."

"Have you made any progress with the Prophecy at all?" Sakura asked him curiously as she peered down at the scroll beside him, laying a casual hand on his shoulder.

"Some," Syaoran admitted, his cheeks reddening again at their close contact. "I've found out some more on the One Without Destiny, but I'm having a little trouble with the part referring to this dimension."

"What have you found out so far?" Sakura asked him excitedly.

"Well, according to this section," he said, unrolling the Prophecy and showing her one of the paragraphs, "it seems that Fei Wang Reed somehow amplified the powers of the One Without Destiny. Although the One Without Destiny had had some magic beforehand, he wouldn't have been strong enough to face us unaided. It also says that he's got one of you memories, which has also strengthened him significantly."

"Well, this confirms what we've already found out, right? Remember when Kurogane-san told us about the dragons sensing my memory?"

"Yes. This just proves it," Syaoran nodded, tapping at the Prophecy thoughtfully with one forefinger. "The One Without Destiny really does have your feather."

"Does it say anything else?"

Syaoran hesitated at first. "It says that he'll confront us," he finally said. "And that... something will happen to one of the four of us."

Sakura's eyes widened and she gasped. "Who?" she asked him fearfully.

"It doesn't say," he sighed heavily. "And I don't know what it will be, either. I've got the faint suspicion that it may mention it in the section referring to this dimension, but the part's all smudged."

"How do you mean?"

"Here," Syaoran said as he unrolled the Prophecy to the proper section, pointing at the smeared line.

Sakura looked down at it and shook her head. "I can't read this archaic form at all."

"It talks about Kurogane-san," Syaoran explained with an abbreviated summary, "either being 'stripped' from our party or continuing onward because of having to make some sort of choice." Syaoran shook his head in disgust. "And then it breaks off. There's a line totally smeared and I can't read what it says. And then when it picks up again it talks about something completely different. Another world, to be precise."

Sakura frowned. "But Tomoyo-hime is an extremely careful person; she was especially careful with the Prophecy. She had two magical shields protecting it, after all, and she even cautioned you to handle it with care. Was it like this when she gave it to you?"

"Yeah," Syaoran nodded. "I asked her about it while Kurogane-san was still healing from those arrows, and she told me that it was the way the Dimensional Witch had given it to her. They couldn't use magic to see what was underneath it or else the Prophecy would become unbalanced, and Fei Wang would win by default."

Sakura wrinkled her nose. "That's not really fair," she protested. "I was going to suggest I try to decipher it with my magic, but this changes everything. There's no way to see what's underneath without ruining the Prophecy." She bit her lower lip in worry. "But for it to be talking about Kurogane-san... do you suppose that whatever is going to happen is going to happen to him?"

"I hope not," Syaoran shuddered. "He's been through enough already." He sighed exasperatedly and rubbed at his hair furiously. "I just don't know what else to do."

"Then stop." Sakura reached for his hand and looked into his eyes gravely. "You've already done more than enough. I'm sure that once we put together what you've learned with what Kurogane-san and Fay-san find out we'll be able to face the One Without Destiny properly."

Syaoran smiled at her and shrugged helplessly. "You're right. It's not like there's anything left for me to do." He sweat-dropped. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" he asked her anxiously.

Sakura broke into peals of silvery laughter.

———————————————

Chii was a mild-mannered young girl. She was obedient and always did what she was told. She would accept her chores with grace and without question, then set off to accomplish them. That did not necessarily mean that she always liked the chores, but that was, of course, another matter.

Her present task at hand was to feed hay to the stabled horses in the courtyard. She did not particularly mind this, for she always enjoyed being able to spend time with animals, especially horses. They had their own soft way of communicating their feelings with low neighs and flicks of their tails. Chii always enjoyed helping out Kusanagi, the stable-master, despite his somewhat stern appearance. His heavyset jaw and coarse black hair made him look rather intimidating at times, but he was kind at heart, and did not mind if Chii wished to see the horses.

But to go and tend to the horses all by herself was something that had never crossed her mind before. It wasn't her fault that Kusanagi caught a cold and had to stay in out of the weather. How did the task of going to the stables fall to her? And at night! Chii had never really liked roaming around in the dark. She knew perfectly well that there were no such things as ghouls or ghosts and all those folktales that mothers told their children for them to behave, but she had an imagination that sometimes got the better of her at times.

So, it was with her heart beating wildly in her chest that she tentatively opened the back door of the inn and peered out. She was wrapped up in a warm hooded cloak and she was carrying a lantern in one hand. She looked around the courtyard cautiously, and, swallowing hard, ran across it as fast as she could and into the stables.

She sagged slightly against the stable wall, sighing with relief. She pulled back her hood and placed the lantern upon the little hook set in the wall to illuminate the space. Sleepy nickers from the beasts of burden greeted her.

Chii's face broke into a smile. "I'm back," she whispered happily.

One of the horses, a large chestnut-colored beast with soft brown eyes, raised its head and neighed in greeting. Chii could have sworn that the animal looked genuinely pleased at her presence.

Humming a nameless tune, she turned to the haystack in the corner. Reaching for the large pitchfork, she was just about ready to start hefting hay to the horses when she heard a sound from outside in the courtyard that made her heart almost stop.

There were people outside! Chii hastily laid the pitchfork back against the wall and covered the lantern with a worn-out blanket. The stables were immediately plunged in darkness. Chii fumbled blindly, gripping at the walls as she crept back to the corner and huddled there in fright, praying fervently that whoever those people were would not come inside the stables.

But it was as if her pleas had fallen on deaf ears, for she heard the characteristic opening of the stable door. Outlined against the night gloom, she saw two figures garbed in dark cloaks.

"Quiet," one of the dark figures said to his companion in a harsh-sounding voice to Chii's delicate ears. "We don't want to alert anyone that we're here, do we?"

"After you," the other replied with a wave of his hand, his voice lighter than the first man's, but carrying an urgent note, as if he were worried about something.

They entered silently, and one of them closed the door with a soft snap. "Just what're we going to do again?" the second man asked the first, not taking care to lower his voice.

"Don't tell me I have to go over it again," the first replied exasperatedly, his heavy footfalls coming closer to where Chii was hidden.

Chii caught a strange odor in the air as the man approached her, a smell that was definitely not reminiscent of the rain that fell from the night sky. It was strange, reminding her faintly of... iron, though it was beyond her why someone would smell like that.

"No, it's just that I don't exactly understand what you want me to do," the second answered. "Do you want me to go get them, or do you want me to help you out with the horses first?"

Chii nearly gasped once she realized that the first man had stopped only a few feet away from her. She saw him raise a hand slowly to the second, as if telling him to remain silent. _Please don't see me_, she thought desperately, closing her eyes tightly. _Please..._

She suddenly felt a large hand close around her wrist in a tight grip, and she cried out in mindless terror. She felt something cold pressed against her throat and she shrank back from it, whimpering. "Please don't hurt me!" she sobbed.

"Wait!" the second man exclaimed, dashing forward and catching the first man's arm. "It's Chii!"

_How is it that he knows my name?_ Chii wondered as she felt the chill object at her throat removed.

"What the hell is _she_ doing here?!" the first demanded in an angry voice, releasing her hand.

_What's going on?_ Chii thought as she saw the second man, a lithe and tall figure, remove the blanket from the lantern, bringing light flooding back into the stables. She blinked for her sensitive eyes to adjust to the faint light and gasped.

The blond man she knew as Masayo bent down before her and laid his hand upon her shoulder gently. "Are you all right?" he asked her in genuine concern, his blue eyes gazing into her amber ones.

Chii nodded, albeit a little shakily, as he helped her to her feet.

The first man shook his head angrily, and she recognized him as the wine-merchant Kumaso. His scarlet eyes seemed on fire in the lantern's light, and she squeaked with fright when she saw that his arms were covered in blood. "Great," he snarled at his porter. "_Now_ what're we gonna do?"

"We'll do just as we said," he replied, one arm wrapped protectively around Chii's shoulders. "I'll go get Syaoran-kun and the others, and we'll be on our way."

"But what about _her_?"

"Chii didn't do anything wrong," he said defensively. "She was obviously in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Kumaso threw his hands in the air, mumbling a few choice swearwords. "Do what you want," he growled. "I'll ready the horses."

Masayo turned to Chii and smiled at her warmly. "There's nothing to worry about," he assured her softly. "We won't hurt you. All we want is to get our things ready and leave as quickly as possible." He impulsively brushed back her bangs. "Now stay here, all right? I'll be back in a few minutes."

Kumaso raised his head angrily from saddling one of the horses. "What the—?! What the hell d'you expect _me_ to do with her?!"

But Masayo had already left.

The black-haired man shook his head in disgust. "Frigging bastard," he mumbled as he went back to readying the horses.

Chii swallowed nervously. In any normal circumstance, she would have made a mad dash for the inn as fast as her legs would have carried her. But something told her that she had to stay. Although the wine-merchant was positively terrifying in her eyes, there was something about the blond man that made her feel calm and at ease.

True to his words, Masayo returned after around ten minutes, along with two people Chii recalled as Yoshiko and Sadamo. The chestnut-haired adolescent, along with Masayo's help, was carrying their packs.

A strange white creature tittered excitedly upon Masayo's shoulder. "Kurogane!" it squeaked.

Yoshiko drew in her breath sharply as she covered her mouth with her hands. "Kurogane-san!" she gasped, her eyes wide with horror. "Why are you covered in blood?!"

"I'll explain later," Kumaso, or rather Kurogane, said as he took the pack from Sadamo's hands and hauled it onto one horse's back. "Right now we have to get outta here."

"What happened?"

"There's no time to explain," Kurogane said as he finished tying the pack on the horse. "Gimme my bag," he told Sadamo.

"Fay-san's got it," he replied. "I'm carrying Sakura's sack."

"Just trying to help Syaoran-kun out," the blond man grinned, handing Kurogane his pack.

Chii felt rather confused at all the different names being used. She blinked, twirling the edge of her cloak with her fingers. "You four aren't ordinary people, are you?"

The two adolescents started and turned at her voice, for they hadn't even noticed her standing there.

"You could say so," Fay admitted without preamble. "But we aren't people with evil intentions."

Chii shook her head. "No, of course you're not evil. I can tell." She sweat-dropped. "Though I won't hide the fact that I'm feeling pretty confused at the moment."

"It _is_ rather complicated," Fay agreed with a chuckle. "How about we just settle for proper names? I'd like to explain everything to you, but we're running short on time."

Chii nodded.

"Well, I'm Fay. Yoshiko's name is in fact Sakura, Sadamo is rally called Syaoran, this little white rabbit is named Mokona, and Kumaso's name is—"

"Kurogane," Kurogane said quickly. He fixed Fay with a glare. "Knowing you, you'd have told her one of those damn nicknames."

Fay grinned helplessly. The smile then faded as he turned back to Chii. "If strange people come to the inn asking about us," he told her seriously, "don't tell them about us. It's _very_ important. Do you understand?"

Chii swallowed hard and nodded. "But if they do come, what am I to tell them?" she asked him anxiously.

"Just tell them that we've left for Jorsan in hopes to find better deals in the wine trade."

"Jorsan," Chii repeated. "Got it."

Kurogane cleared his throat loudly. "We'd better get going," he reminded them impatiently.

They led their horses out into the courtyard and mounted them, taking care not to make too much noise.

"Fay-san," Chii suddenly said, tugging on the wizard's cloak from his seat on his white horse.

"Yes?" he said, reaching down to smooth her hair with one gloved hand.

"I hope that you'll be able to accomplish whatever you've set out to do."

He nodded. "I hope so, too. Take care," he said softly.

Chii flushed and nodded. "You too."

Fay nudged his horse's reins, shooting Chii one last smile before riding out of the courtyard and down the street after the others.

Chii stood in the rain for a long moment. She was still rather bemused about what had happened in the space of less than a half-hour, but she felt a strange sort of peace residing within her. As if what had just happened had been something _meant_ to happen. She could not rightly explain it, even if she wanted to. But from the little that she had been able to comprehend, she understood that Fay was someone very special.

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Kurogane led them to the east gate of the city, which was unlocked and unguarded. He sniffed disapprovingly as they passed the gatehouse, where the guards were obviously busy drinking the night away rather than keeping watch.

He led them out along the Highway, and after a while the steady downpour dispersed. The gibbous moon shone brightly on the gleaming wet stones of the road, but it seemed to have drained all color from the surroundings, rendering them gray and dull-looking.

They rode on and on and on, and Sakura was beginning to feel extremely battered and sore. She was also feeling weak from lack of sleep, and more tired than she ever thought possible. Just when she felt that she could not keep her eyes open for another moment, Kurogane called a halt. Raising her head, she saw that they were in a clearing surrounded by large trees, and that a frost-tinged brook babbled by their horses' hooves. She also dimly realized that the sun was just rising.

"We could all do with a rest," Kurogane said in a heavy voice, looking at Sakura significantly. "We'll set up camp here. I think we're far enough away."

After all the necessary preparations, they managed to make a mediocre campsite, mediocre from lack of sleep. They all wordlessly fell asleep, succumbing to their exhaustion immediately, not caring to even eat.

Kurogane knew that he had been hard on them, so he took it upon himself to keep watch on his own. He knew of ways to keep himself awake, and the others would be no good if they did not rest up.

It was the familiar prickling sensation of being watched which ran along the back of his neck that warned him; his instincts were alerting him of an unwanted intruder. His hand moving ever so slowly, he dove his arm into his shirt, closing his fingers upon the hilt of his dagger.

_"You need not fear me, Kurogane."_

Kurogane narrowed his eyes, searching for the one who spoke, but he did not release his grip on the dagger. Standing erect, he drew it from its sheath and held it in his clenched fist, assuming a defensive stance.

"How d'you know my name?" Kurogane demanded of the watcher, whom he could not locate, even though his eyes had traveled around the clearing twice; he had even tried sensing the intruder's aura, but he neither saw him, nor sensed him. "Where the hell are you?!"

_"Behind you,"_ the voice offered its aid with a faint hint of amusement.

Kurogane spun, raising his right hand, which held tightly onto the dagger-hilt. But what he saw confused him even more, for he recognized him as the mage he had spotted in the streets of Sembia.

The mage was tall, surpassing even Kurogane by a head in height, and he was also slender, and garbed in a dark-colored tattered mantle. The hood was large and covered the better part of his face, but from what Kurogane saw, the mage's skin was as white as snow, and his lips were, strangely, also as pale as his skin. _"I mean you no harm,"_ he assured Kurogane in a deep and soothing voice; but his mouth did not move.

Kurogane tilted his head slightly to the right to get a better look at him from the corner of his left eye. "Who are you?" he asked him warily. "And what're you doing here?"

The figure smiled slowly. _"Always wanting to get past the formalities and cut down straight to the chase,"_ he commented, again, without parting his lips to speak. _"Very well. To satisfy your curiosity, I came to see you."_

"You didn't answer my first question," Kurogane reminded him impatiently.

_"True. But I did that intentionally."_

"Who are you?" he repeated stubbornly.

The mage simply smiled mysteriously.

Kurogane was finding this man infuriating, so he tried a different question, rethinking his tact. "How d'you know my name?"

_"I have been watching you for a very long time,"_ the mage informed him calmly. _"Your whole life, in fact."_

Kurogane blinked. "And I'm supposed to believe you?" he demanded.

_"Believe what you wish."_ He looked at Kurogane queerly, but it was a lost expression on the ninja, for he could not see beneath the mage's hood. _"But if you doubt me, I can prove it. It is essential for you to cooperate."_

"Then prove it," Kurogane snapped irritably. "Tell me something about myself that no one can possibly have knowledge of."

The mage chuckled, obviously ready to answer him. _"As a warrior, you have killed many in combat. But there is quite a big difference from killing in battle and from killing in cold blood, is there not, Kurogane? Especially the way you treated your first victim..."_

The dagger slipped from Kurogane's slack grip onto the earth, his blood-red eyes widening in astonishment and horror.

_"A young man had stolen something of high value from the Lunar Shrine,"_ the mage continued. _"You tracked him down and killed him to retrieve it. He was unarmed and could do nothing to escape from your wrath. When you returned the stolen item to Princess Tomoyo, you did not hide the fact that you killed the man, but you did not tell her that you had killed him while he was defenseless, correctly realizing that it would have upset her tremendously."_ The mage smiled grimly. _"For deliberate murder is something hardly forgivable, is it not?"_

Kurogane was breathing heavily, his hands visibly trembling. "How... how did you know...?" he asked weakly. He had never told anyone about what had happened in that dark alleyway over six years ago... _no one_...

_"I have been watching you since the moment you were born, and I know everything about you. From the exterior appearance of your body"_—he indicated Kurogane's characteristic red eyes and his long canine teeth with a negligent wave of his hand, causing a shiver to travel up the ninja's spine as he was shocked to see that the mage's fingers were long and skeletal-looking—_"to the deepest and darkest thoughts in the very vaults of your mind."_

Kurogane glared at the mage suspiciously. "What d'you want from me?"

_"Nothing _from_ you,"_ he answered truthfully.

"I don't believe you," Kurogane told him bluntly.

_"It is your choice."_ He shrugged. _"But the reason I made the decision to appear now is because of the attempt your friends made to track me down."_ He surveyed Kurogane seriously. _"I am beyond your capabilities, and beyond the capabilities of your comrades."_

"What d'you mean?" he growled suspiciously.

The mage said nothing for a time. _"I am not an enemy, and you and your companions should not exert your futile efforts upon me,"_ he finally told him—although it was more in the nature of a command. _"I do not work for Fei Wang Reed, nor do I work for the One Without Destiny. I am my own master, and my primary concern is not your mission on retrieving the memory fragments."_

"Then what is," Kurogane suddenly demanded, "this primary concern of yours?"

_"_You_ are, Kurogane,"_ the mage said simply. _"I made my appearance to give you a fair warning, as well. The time when you will have to make a choice is nearing. This choice, however, does not concern others. It is a matter that concerns only yourself."_

Kurogane was thoroughly confused now. "What...?" he said almost inaudibly. "What're you talking about?!"

_"I cannot, because I choose not to, reveal more. I am merely informing you of this approaching choice. And warning you that you will only have a limited time to answer. Everything you have come to know will change depending on what you answer. We will meet again soon,"_ the mage promised him. Then he began to dissolve.

"Hang on, how the hell d'you expect me to make this so-called choice without more details?!" Kurogane bellowed angrily at him.

_"You will understand when the time comes."_ And with that, the mage vanished in the swirling wind.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** With this chapter I finally manage to surpass 100,000 words! Currently this is the only fic in the _Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle_ section that's this big! I first wrote this chapter during Christmas vacation in the year 2005. Yes, at first I was very diligent with my fan fic, but then a little something called school and entry exams made me move at a snail's pace. Bugger.

I'm still very pissed about that because abandoning _When Worlds Collide_ for close to a year did awful damage to my inspiration. Even when summer vacation came and went I couldn't just get down to write the last chapter! It was very aggravating! I'd completely forgotten everything! The only way to get back down to it would be to reread it again, and for me to reread it all over again I'd have to correct all the horrid mistakes that suddenly popped out, glaring at me for forgetting them. Which I did. I went through this fic five or six times at least, so it ought to be perfect now. And I'm damn proud of it!

Yes, I'm a Virgo, how could you tell? XD

Oh, one more thing. If the stable scene seems awkward because I'm not using their proper names at first, I'm sorry about that. It was meant to be like that because it was written from Chii's point of view. It was a spur-of-the-moment idea to write it from another person's point of view and I liked how it turned out in the end. No, I'm not a FayxChii shipper, I won't go down that road again, but the father/daughter (or should I say mother/son?) relationship is sweet.

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	16. Twist Of Fate

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 16 — Twist Of Fate**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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Kurogane roared in frustration and kicked furiously at a large rock in the clearing, which was not a wise move as he stubbed his toe in the process. Wincing and swearing sulphurously under his breath, he settled down upon the cold earth and drew several deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. Once he had somewhat regained his composure, he struggled to put his thoughts in some semblance of order.

Judging by the mage's mysterious words, he obviously had no interest whatsoever in the others. He had made his intentions quite clear that he was only interested in Kurogane. But why?

Kurogane eased his elbows onto his knees and clasped his hands together, laying his forehead against them and closing his eyes. What was all this about a choice he would eventually have to make? What would the choice involve? Would it involve his future? An event? Or maybe even both? Kurogane exhaled wearily. He did not have the faintest idea what the so-called choice might or might not concern.

He raked his fingers through his hair and sighed. Now, on top of all of his other concerns, he had this additional one to face as well. But this was something he had to figure out on his own. This mage had been spying on him—and on him alone—which meant that it was up to him to deal with it. But just what else did the mage know about him? Had the mage been watching him continuously like he had said he had done? For all of his life?

Kurogane swallowed with some difficulty. Even the very thought unnerved him.

He could not—and _would_not—share it with the others. He could imagine the way they would react if he told them what had happened as clearly as if they were with him at that very moment. Syaoran would frown and rack his brains as he tried to puzzle out this new threat, Sakura would get all worked up and start fussing about possible solutions, Fay would most probably chortle and find the whole situation rather hilarious (unless he chanced to lapse into one of his more somber states), and Mokona would simply just scurry into his clothes and annoy him like hell.

_No_, Kurogane finally decided. _I can't say anything_. He had no desire to worry them unnecessarily. But he would have to somehow convince them that the mage was no longer their concern, though how he would be able to manage that without arousing any suspicions still eluded him.

Shaking his head as if he just wanted to forget about the whole thing, Kurogane reached out to retrieve his dagger. He could not deny the fact that the mage had appeared before him, no matter how much he desired to forget about the encounter. And no matter how much he tried to convince himself of the opposite, he knew that the mage had been telling him the truth. For how else could he have known about his first deliberate murder?

He exhaled heavily. It had been a long time since he had last thought about that incident. The man had been a pathetic excuse for a thief, a weak and frightened being simply following the orders of his superiors. He had managed to sneak into the shrine in the dead of night and steal the Lunar Bell, the ceremonial implement Tomoyo used and guarded as High Priestess. Kurogane had been furious that someone had actually managed to get past him, and, of course, he certainly did not remain idle. He chased the man down, like a hunter would chase down his prey, and retrieved the bell after taking the wretch's life.

Kurogane looked down at his hands and his bloodstained garments. Although he had managed to scrub the most of the blood away before setting up camp, faint red could still be discerned in the creases of his hands. He clasped them together and bowed his head against them in reflective silence.

He had never really given much thought as to why he had killed so many people. He knew that he had been extreme in most cases, but it had been his way of solving problems. Someone who was still alive could still plot another day, and that was something Kurogane had never been willing to risk. He always had a reason—a logical reason—to resort to such methods. Tomoyo's safety depended on his actions, and he had sworn never to take his position as Lead Ninja lightly. He loved her too much to risk anything happening to her.

But this time had been different. It had been a long time since he had been so intent in a fight. So intent to get himself covered in other people's blood... It had not been like the time with the mercenaries, when he had been focusing more on rectifying his mistake of leading them right to their party. He had completely and utterly lost control over himself, giving in to the seducing odor of blood without hesitation. He had enjoyed the struggle for survival, being enough to set his pulse racing and his senses reeling.

His shoulders sagged weakly. Who had he been trying to fool all this time? He had not changed. Not in the slightest. By supporting that he killed with reason, he had been trying, not to convince the others, but himself, that he was not a bloodthirsty killer.

But he had been wrong. So very, very wrong.

Kurogane drew a deep, uneven breath. He should have controlled himself, he should have kept his instincts under control, he should have thought about the consequences of his actions... There were so many things that he should have done that had not even crossed his mind in the heat of the battle. He had succumbed wholly to his bloodlust.

Tomoyo should never have removed the curse. It had been the only thing holding him back throughout the entire journey, the only restraint. How could he ever face the others again without shame? How could he ever face Tomoyo again?

Lost in his turbulent thoughts, Kurogane remained immobile for some time, but he started back to life when he felt something cold fall upon the back of his neck. Raising his hand to it, he realized that it was a drop of rain. He lifted his face to the sky. Judging by the appearance of the gray clouds swirling in from the east, it looked like it was about to start raining again. Another drop fell, and then another right after it. The heavens finally split in two as the dark clouds burst and the rain came pouring down.

"Great," he spat, getting to his feet. He had been too caught up in his problems that he had not been paying attention to more pressing matters, like the rapidly-changing weather. He would just have to push his personal issues away in a corner of his mind and deal with them some other time.

An ear-splitting peal of thunder rent the sky, much too close by the sound of it, as blinding lightning streaked across it simultaneously. All the signs indicated that it would prove to be a very violent thunderstorm. And storms of that kind were certainly not predictable in the wintertime. It seemed as if last night's downpour had only been building up for this storm.

Cursing his carelessness under his breath, Kurogane lifted the tent flap and poked his head inside. He regretted not being able to allow them to rest properly for as long as they needed. He hoped that he would not have to be forced to drive them on like last night, for he clearly knew their weaknesses, and knew that they would not stand a long chance if they were drained and exhausted.

Kurogane cleared his throat loudly. When none of them so much as stirred, he crept inside, crouching because of his height. Laying his hand lightly on Syaoran's shoulder, he shook him awake. "Get up. We've gotta get a move-on to find better shelter before the storm hits."

Syaoran started awake, blinking dazedly. He sat up slightly after a few moments, his hair all mussed up. "Whazzup?" he mumbled groggily, obviously still half-asleep.

"Get up fast and wake the others. It's started raining heavily, and that means we've gotta get going before we're caught in the middle of the storm."

Syaoran came fully awake. "A storm?" he asked in astonishment, rubbing at his right eye almost absently.

"Yes," Kurogane said exasperatedly. "Wake the others and get ready. I'll ready the horses."

"Okay..." Syaoran winced and placed the edge of his palm against his right eye for a moment.

Kurogane was not so far gone in his own problems that he did not notice Syaoran's. "Your eye?"

"It stings a little." Syaoran smiled reassuringly. "I'm all right. You should hurry with the horses."

"Right." Kurogane withdrew from the tent, letting the flap fall behind him as he turned to the tree where they had tied the horses. He quickly saddled them and made the necessary minuscule adjustments to their reins and stirrups. Untying them, he ushered them to the front of the tent, waiting for the others impatiently as the rain steadily intensified. He was thankful that he had had the good sense to refill their skins with fresh water from the brook beforehand.

Soon, Syaoran and the others emerged from the tent, fully dressed in their original clothing. They hurriedly stuffed their blankets in their packs and struck camp, erasing their traces as quickly and as thoroughly as they could with the help of Kurogane's instructions. In less than ten minutes' time, they had left the clearing, which had been a dangerous spot since it had been surrounded by tall fir trees, and had started along the Highway. The wind was little more than a small, yet chill, breeze so far, but all the signs indicated that it would change before long.

They had only been riding along for around fifteen minutes when there was a loud crack and a horrendous snapping noise, as a lightning bolt struck a tall tree not that far from them. With a deep and resonating groan, the rest of the base gave way and the tree collapsed on itself, shaking the ground with its fall.

Syaoran's horse bucked with a terrified whinny and nearly threw him and Sakura off of its back. He grasped the reins and pulled on them in an attempt to calm the animal, but it still took several moments for his mount to quiet down.

"This storm isn't natural," Fay muttered quietly with a puzzled furrow between his brows.

Syaoran turned to look at him intently. "What do you mean by that, Fay-san?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Kurogane grunted. "It must be the One Without Destiny trying to stall us."

"But I thought manipulating the weather with magic was impossible," Sakura objected.

Fay frowned. "He's not exactly tampering with nature," he murmured thoughtfully. "It's more like what happened in Koryo. Remember when the Ryanban used your memory shard to call upon that destructive wind?"

"Doesn't it amount to the same thing?"

"Not exactly. When you focus your will on something other than yourself, the manipulated object is twisted to suit your preferences, meaning that you try to control it by fusing your powers with it, which is the case when experimenting with the weather. But in the Ryanban's case, the source of the magic came from the feather. Basically, the magic used was the magic provided by Sakura-chan's memory. He did not focus the magic on nature, but rather harnessed the magic by conjuring the wind solely from the feather."

"I see. There certainly is much more to magic than I originally thought."

Syaoran said nothing for a moment. "Is there anything we can do about it?" he finally asked.

Fay shook his head. "Even if I were willing to use my powers, I wouldn't. It's much too risky."

They continued along the Highway, sidestepping the fallen tree, which had partially blocked the road, as the wind intensified and the rain started creeping down their necks. The storm being unnatural caused them to proceed with greater caution as they took care to keep their guard up.

After a time, the water droplets began to pelt them with a needle-like stinging force, turning rapidly into sleet. The wind tore at them fiercely, causing their cloaks to whip about them, and the temperature dropped even lower. Lightning flashed across the sky and thunder crashed soon after. The combination of the wind and rain was freezing them and starting to become unbearable, but they rode on doggedly, sloshing their way mile after mile.

Sakura was beginning to feel so numb and wet with the chill that she felt as if she would never be warm and dry again. She huddled against Syaoran, seeking warmth as she tried to pull her cloak about her tighter, her eyes slowly drooping shut with fatigue.

Syaoran instinctively wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders while he led their mount with the other hand, wondering vaguely if they would manage to find a place where they would be able to wait for the storm to pass. As if the already foul weather wasn't enough, the rain began to harden and turn into snow, snow that was blown into their faces, stinging their exposed skin.

Fay seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Syaoran. "Are you sure you know where we're going?" he yelled to Kurogane to be heard over the wind, his hair whipping about his face.

"If I didn't know would I be in the lead?" Kurogane growled.

"But the storm's getting stronger, and we've been riding for hours!" Fay said loudly for his voice to carry. "It's dangerous for us to be exposed to the weather like this, especially in the wintertime!"

"Fay-san's right!" Syaoran shouted over the howling wind. "If this snowstorm gets any more ferocious, we'll be buried alive! We have to find a place where we can at least be partially protected!"

Kurogane did not reply at first. He surveyed the area for a few moments by shading his eyes with his hand. He finally seemed to decide on something with a shrug, wheeling his horse to the left, away from the Highway. "I know of a place where we can stay!" he hollered. "It's this way!"

The others turned their horses and rode after him, practically soaked through as they struggled to shield themselves from the full blast of the merciless wind and the chilling snow.

After about twenty minutes of plodding through icy piles of snow with the wind swirling into their faces, Kurogane signaled that they dismount before a sharp outcropping of rock. An enormous crack in the side of the cliff was the opening leading into a cave, which had the appearance of a jagged split—as if something large had managed to tear it apart like a person would tear apart paper. The ugly black mass punctuated the dark sky, its ominous and bleak appearance making them feel more than a little apprehensive.

The horses seemed to be sharing the same sentiments, for they point-blank refused to proceed onward, and no amount of coaxing or persuading could make them willingly enter the cave. Syaoran's suggestion that they wrap cloths around their eyes was the only alternative they could think of which was actually successful, and so, Kurogane led the party into the side of the cliff.

The cavern was surprisingly very large, and had ample space for both them and their mounts to comfortably proceed several feet into its dry interior to escape from the biting wind still raging around the entrance. The walls had been worn smooth by centuries of swirling water, and the ground consisted of smooth, soft-packed earth.

As soon as they had unsaddled the horses and had rubbed their flanks dry so the cold chill would not seep into their muscles, Kurogane turned to them, his expression serious. "Pay close attention," he warned them, his voice low and cautious. "We just so happened to be close to Silverthorn's territory. He's a bit more aggressive than Firebolt, but I'll try to persuade him that you mean no harm. He_might_ let us sit out the storm in his cave."

"Is this Silverthorn another dragon?" Fay inquired curiously, wringing out his hair from the excess of the melted snow.

Kurogane nodded. "But he's not here at the moment. He's probably off hunting." He paused thoughtfully. "He might take it the wrong way when he sees us in here, though," he mused. "It's considered very discourteous if you enter a dragon's abode without permission."

"Is Silverthorn dangerous?" Sakura asked him timidly, brushing back her wet bangs from before her eyes.

"It's not that. Silverthorn just doesn't really like humans that much. Actually, hardly any dragons sympathize with humans and their plights."

"If dragons don't really like humans, then how is it that you're friends with them?" Mokona piped up.

"There're some humans whom dragons unanimously come to respect." Kurogane shrugged. "They like me."

"They probably have no idea what a grave mistake they might've made," Fay murmured humorously to Sakura. "It's not like Big Doggy's all that loveable, you know."

_"What?!"_ Kurogane choked in outrage.

"It's the truth," Fay said defensively, failing to hide a huge grin. "I mean, seriously, I have no idea what Tomoyo-chan sees in you. But then," he smiled, eyeing Sakura and Syaoran with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, "what are our opinions worth before the power of love?"

Mokona sighed exaggeratedly from its perch on Fay's shoulder, raising its little paw to its forehead as it struck a dramatic pose. "Ain't love grand?"

Fay's answering grin was one of his widest yet, and the two of them burst out laughing uproariously.

Kurogane glowered vehemently at the hysterically giggling pair for a long moment, his right eye twitching and a vein pulsing dangerously in his forehead.

Recognizing the dangerous signs Kurogane was exhibiting, Syaoran smoothly intervened with an innocent suggestion. "Isn't it nearly time for lunch?" he asked no one in particular.

"Why, I do believe you're right, Syaoran-kun," Fay chuckled. "How about I make us something yummy to eat? I'm positively starving since we didn't have time to eat breakfast." He winked hugely. "And if I'm starving, that means that you guys can't be that far behind, considering the fact that I don't have much of an appetite, hmm?"

"I am rather..." Sakura began to say, but before she had managed to finish, her eyes began to flutter and she swayed dangerously. Syaoran caught her just in time as she pitched forward, fast asleep.

"Seems like Sakura fell asleep again!" Mokona giggled from its perch on the wizard's shoulder.

"We'd better find those blankets so we can put her to bed," Kurogane said, turning to the horses to rummage through the packs.

"Why, of course!" Fay grinned sadistically, slipping up to his side. "Daddy should tuck in his children for bedtime, right, Mokona?"

"Mokona wants to be tucked in too!"

Kurogane rolled his eyes in exasperation, exhaling angrily. He was not about to get into a pointless shouting match with Fay, knowing it would be a waste of time and effort as he would never change his habits. Muttering something rather obscene under his breath, Kurogane drew out a few fur-lined blankets and spread them upon the ground. "Just lay her down here," he told the adolescent.

Syaoran nodded and gently eased Sakura upon them, tenderly drawing another blanket over her. She smiled and snuggled under the covers with a contented sigh. Syaoran smiled down at her faintly, smoothing her hair back from her brow. How soft and innocent she looked when she slept! He felt as if his heart would shatter from the sudden surge of emotion rippling through him.

"Doesn't she look so peaceful when she sleeps?" Fay smiled.

"She's like Sleeping Beauty!" Mokona piped up, blushing rosily.

"She_is_ beautiful when she sleeps," Syaoran agreed with a look of bliss upon his face.

"No, no, silly! Sleeping Beauty is a name!" Mokona giggled shrilly, leaping upon Kurogane's head. "Sleeping Beauty is a fairytale princess who was put under a deep magical sleep for a hundred years by an evil witch," it explained excitedly, "and only true love's first kiss could wake her! Yuuko's read it to me lots of times!" It sighed dramatically. "It's one of my favorite bedtime stories!"

"What're the chances of a princess sleeping for a hundred years?" Kurogane snorted disbelievingly. "And anyone else for the matter?"

_"I know you, I've walked with you once upon a dream,"_ Mokona began to sing, spinning upon Kurogane's head (the ninja's eye twitched). "Actually, there're lots of versions of the story," it mused thoughtfully. "Some say that it was a bad fairy who wanted revenge on the royal family because she wasn't invited to the banquet to celebrate the princess's birth (they didn't have enough gold plates), and then again, there're versions where the story goes even further, telling of the adventures her children had to face. But all versions agree that the evil witchy fairy made her prick her finger on a spindle to induce the sleeping spell. (Was it on her sixteenth or eighteenth birthday? I'll have to ask Mokona again.) Actually, she wanted the princess to die, but one of the good fairies hadn't given the princess her present at the banquet when she was still a baby, and the fairy changed it to a sleeping-spell, one that would be broken with true love's first kiss!"

Kurogane and Syaoran blinked, both of them extremely confused. Kurogane had been lost from the moment Mokona had mentioned the gold plates, and Syaoran had been lost somewhere around the end with the good fairy's gift.

Mokona continued to sing, not noticing that its audience wasn't being very responsive. It was similar to the time Mokona had referred to a 'Koumon Mito' back in Koryo; the others had had no idea what it was talking about, just like now.

Instead of being bewildered like the others, Fay had fallen rather silent from the first mention of the 'magical sleep'. Those words had been enough for a myriad of memories to bubble up to the surface of his awareness, even more acute than other times because of actually speaking face-to-face with Chii, who had been so much like his own Chii.

"What a load of crap," Kurogane sneered as he grabbed Mokona by its ears and pinched its cheeks. "You expect us to believe that it's possible for someone to sleep for a hundred years?! You're pulling our legs with all this shit!"

"It's possible." But it was not Mokona who said those words.

Syaoran and Kurogane looked up at the wizard curiously. Fay's complexion was rather paler than usual, and it was certainly strange to not see a smile on his face. Instead, his eyes seemed to carry a bleak appearance, as if he had suddenly just remembered something terrible.

"Fay-san...?" Syaoran said slowly. "Are you all right...?"

Fay shook his head and the ever-pleasant smile returned to light up his features. "Whoopsie! Must've spaced out for a few moments there!" He chuckled and clapped his hands together, rubbing them eagerly. "Alrighty then! Now that we've gotten Sakura-chan snug as a bug in a rug, I'll whip something up for us to snack on!"

"Yippee!" Mokona cheered as it jumped into the air. "Fay's gonna make us something yummy!"

Fay strode off to the horse carrying the pack with the foodstuff, whistling a cheerful tune as Mokona bounded after him, still singing.

"I wonder why Fay-san reacted like that," Syaoran mused quietly.

"You mean you don't know?" Kurogane said with some surprise.

Syaoran frowned. "Know what?"

"Hasn't he ever told you why he left his world?"

Syaoran shook his head. "You know?" he guessed.

"Not exactly. He's mentioned something about a person sleeping underwater in his world a couple of times, though. He thinks that he might wake up and come after him."

Syaoran's eyes widened. "Does this person have magic powers?"

"I don't know and I'm not about to pry. You know how he is. He'll only tell us what he believes we need to know. Nothing more, nothing less."

The two of them exchanged significant looks. Syaoran understood perfectly well what Kurogane meant. Fay had something dark hidden in his past, something he most definitely did not want out, and it was very rare that he ever mentioned anything regarding it.

Just what was hidden behind his cheerful façade?

———————————————

"Time to eat!" came Fay's chirpy voice ringing throughout the cavern after about a half-hour.

Syaoran sniffed at the air eagerly, his mouth watering at the delicious smell coming from the small fire. He had worked up quite an appetite during his study of the Prophecy and his stomach was rumbling.

"I can't understand why you still persist with that thing," Kurogane told the young adolescent in a disgusted tone as they settled down by the fire. "It's pure gibberish."

"Don't be so quick to judge something you don't understand, Kuro-rin!" Fay grinned. "Just because you're not as smart as Syaoran-kun, doesn't mean that he can't understand what the Prophecy says!"

"Stop talking as if you know everything!" Kurogane bristled, looking positively infuriated.

"Whatever you think is best," Fay smiled benignly as he bustled over to the fire, where a small pot was bubbling merrily. "I betcha you'll be able to cool down with this delicious soup I made, along with Mokona's precious help, of course!" He ladled out a generous helping of the soup into a wooden bowl, humming softly to himself.

Kurogane frowned suspiciously. "Soup?" he demanded of the wizard.

"Actually, it's too thick to be soup," Fay mused professionally as he served Syaoran. "I'd say it's closer to stew."

Kurogane crossed his arms. "As if you could make soup out of simple travel rations," he said with narrowed eyes.

"A master chef never reveals his secrets," Fay replied mysteriously, handing him his bowl with a large slab of crispy bread. "Just like a master magician never reveals the secret behind his arts."

Kurogane decided not to answer that as he bit off a large chunk of bread, chewing on it vigorously.

"Hear that?" Fay grinned at Mokona. "That's the sound of no one disagreeing with me!"

Syaoran began to relax. He had admittedly been worried about Fay, but his jokes and sallies were as outrageous as always. He suddenly frowned as he noticed Kurogane's shirt, which was still soaked with coalesced blood. He decided that now was as good a time as any to satisfy his curiosity. "What exactly happened to you two last night? And why were you insisting that we flee the city so quickly?"

"It's hardly anything to worry about, Syaoran-kun," Fay said with a nervous cough.

"When you start talking in that tone of voice I _know_ I have to worry."

Kurogane's expression turned grim. "We ran into some cutthroats. They were probably hired by the One Without Destiny again, like those mercenaries."

_"Some?"_ Fay mouthed incredulously.

"Shut it," Kurogane snapped.

"Probably hired?" Syaoran echoed. "Didn't you interrogate them?"

Fay merely looked at Kurogane in answer, so Syaoran turned his attention to the ninja.

Kurogane remained silent for a few moments. "No," he finally said in such a quiet voice that Syaoran almost did not hear him.

"Why not?" he pressed. "Weren't they willing to tell you?"

Kurogane wished that Syaoran had not opened the specific subject to discussion. He had no wish to elaborate on the reasons that had led to his mindless frenzy, hardly trusting himself to answer him with honesty. "The ringleader said that he'd only tell us after he killed us," he finally said truthfully. "I found it pointless to grant him that satisfaction."

Syaoran had a feeling that Kurogane was not letting everything out, but realizing the matter was one of extreme delicacy, he let it pass. Instead, he told them what he had found out from the Prophecy, excluding his suspicions that something might happen to one of them. He felt that it would be pointless for them to worry over something he was not even sure about.

Fay then recounted what he and Kurogane had discovered at the tavern. "But we didn't find out who he might be meeting at the Tower because no one had any idea where he disappeared to," he finished. "How about you? Did you find anything on that?"

Syaoran shook his head. "Nothing." He shrugged helplessly. "I guess we'll just have to find out once we get there."

Kurogane grunted in assent, laying aside his half-eaten stew. Clasping his hands together, he stared into the fire, apparently in deep thought, his eyes reflecting the reddish tongues of flickering flame. He didn't so much as turn a hair when Mokona skipped by him and slurped down the rest of his dish. He was oblivious to his surroundings, instead thinking back on what the mage had revealed to him that morning. He had a funny feeling that something important was going to happen at Solar Tower, but what it might be still eluded him. He was positive that the mage was involved, some way or other.

"There's always the possibility that the One Without Destiny might not even be there and that we've been on a wild goose chase all along," Fay suddenly suggested.

"And we still haven't got any leads on that mage," Syaoran added despondently.

Kurogane's eyes darted to him wildly. If he had not spent the last four years in Syaoran's company, he would've sworn that the adolescent had just read his mind. He licked his lips nervously and fixed him with a speculating look. "Do you suspect that the mage might have something to do with the One Without Destiny?" he asked him with forced casualness.

"It's possible," Syaoran shrugged. "I still think that the mage you saw is the one that the Prophecy is referring to, even though Fay-san's in total denial of it."

"I just think that there's more to this mage than meets the eye," Fay protested. "He just doesn't ring true, you know what I mean?"

Kurogane put his hand to his chin thoughtfully. As much as he hated what he was about to do, it was the only way he would be able to learn more about the mage. "How can you be so sure?" he asked Fay warily.

"I'm not. That's the whole point."

"Well, for you to be strongly opposing the kid's suggestion means that you must know something more than the rest of us."

"You know what I know," Fay replied evasively.

"No, I don't," Kurogane said bluntly. "You're a wizard, so you know more on magic than the rest of us simpletons put together. Just what _do_ you think this mage's capable of?"

Fay said nothing for a long moment, running his finger lightly upon his lips in speculation. When he spoke, his words were slow and deliberate, as if he were weighing his every word with the utmost care. "According to a saying, the end justifies the means," he said in a low voice. "That can be easily interpreted as someone who would be willing to do anything for a good cause, be it resorting to the most unthinkable means to achieve it. As long as he believes he's doing the right thing, you can't blame him by branding him as a wrongdoer."

"You're not making any sense," Kurogane growled.

"How about I give you an example? A ruler is sometimes forced to resort to brutal methods to maintain order and peace in their country, right?"

Syaoran nodded. "Usually to prevent an even more serious matter that might be at hand from occurring."

"Right you are, Syaoran-kun. A ruler has to abide by the laws of their country, as do all citizens. If someone gets out of line, they're punished. Although the punishment in most cases is unjust, so there'll be order and justice, a ruler is usually left with no other alternative."

"I think I see where you're heading with this," Syaoran mused. "What you're saying is that the mage might use uncivilized means to achieve his ends. Even though his actions might be for a good cause, if he uses evil methods to achieve them, it's difficult whether to decide if he's good or evil."

"Those are general categorizations, but you've got the picture," Fay smiled with approval.

Kurogane's brow creased. Instead of having things cleared up, he was now even more confused than before. Not because of the mage, but because of the similarities he found in himself. In a way, Fay's words reminded of his own methods. If he deemed someone to be a threat, he killed them. And even if he had not done it consciously, that was exactly what he had done with the cutthroats. Kurogane had had to react faster than them, killing them before they killed him. It had all been bent on survival. But now that he thought about it, he realized that he could have just as easily dismantled them rather than resorting to bloodshed. For him to have resorted to such an abominable act...? Did it brand _him_ as a wrongdoer? Was he an evil person for performing such deeds?

If only he knew the answer.

———————————————

Sakura yawned and sat up, stretching. She felt freshened and revitalized after her sleep, and her mood couldn't have been more cheerful. Spotting Syaoran and Fay by the fire, she skipped up to them happily. "Hello!" she greeted them exuberantly.

"Ah, so you've finally decided to wake up?" Fay grinned.

Sakura blinked. "Have I been sleeping for long?" she asked him anxiously.

"Fay's just teasing you!" Mokona giggled, leaping into the air. "It's approaching late afternoon!"

Sakura sighed with relief. "I won't hide I was worried for a moment there," she confessed. "So is the snowstorm...?"

"Yep," Fay said. "That blizzard's still brewing and it looks like it's about to reach a stupendous climax."

Sakura turned her head to look at the still-raging storm beyond the cave mouth. Although a sense of worry that they might be late for the meeting tugged at her conscious, she somehow felt that everything would eventually start looking up. It was probably due to the good dream she had just seen. She had felt a warm sense of protection envelop her, as if someone very close to her had been there for her in a time of need.

"It's a good thing that the cave entrance is in such a slanted position," Syaoran suddenly said. "The wind can't penetrate it this way and the cave's kept warm and dry."

"Or else we'd be freezing our toes off!" Mokona tittered as Fay cuddled it.

"Today is the sixth day since we left Shirasagi Castle, isn't it?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah," Syaoran answered. "Only three more days to go."

Sakura clasped her arms around her knees. "It's surprising that this cave is so warm," she remarked, her voice reverberating in the large chamber. "I feel as if it's springtime."

Fay looked up and smiled at her. "It _is_ pretty peculiar, isn't it?" he agreed. "I was expecting a cave to be damp and cold. At least that's how the caves in my country are, since the weather constantly borders on freezing cold."

A few feet away from them, Kurogane was resting against the wall with his cloak drawn about him, but he stirred slightly at Fay's words. "Most dragons prefer warm temperatures," he said in a gruff tone of voice, his eyes still closed. "They take care for their homes to be in places where the heat won't be able to easily escape, like caves. That's why it's rare for a dragon not to be in his cave during the wintertime." He shifted his weight slightly, seeking a more comfortable position.

"I wonder how big this cave is," Fay mused, turning around and looking at the dark opening behind. "It looks like it goes on forever."

"I strongly advise you don't start exploring," Kurogane said sternly. "If Silverthorn finds out you've been ambling around in his cave without his permission, he's liable to tear you to pieces."

"Looks like Kuro-pippi has a lot in common with him, then," Fay murmured wryly to Syaoran. "They both have outrageous tempers."

Mokona giggled shrilly. "No doubt about that!" it agreed, imitating Fay's voice.

Kurogane made an irritated sound with his throat, but decided not to say or do anything. Shrugging indifferently, he curled up, his posture sagging against the wall.

"May I ask you something, Kurogane-san?" Syaoran asked him politely.

He grunted to show he was listening, slumping even further down the wall.

"Didn't you once mention something about an earth dragon when we met Firebolt?" he asked him curiously. "And didn't you say that Firebolt herself is a fire dragon?"

Kurogane twisted himself around to face him. Sighing resignedly, he opened his eyes and straightened. It didn't look like he was about to get any sleep anytime soon. "What about it?"

"The way you mentioned it suggests that there are more kinds," he pointed out.

"Of course," Kurogane said, stifling a yawn. "There're dragons for each of nature's elements. Fire, earth, water, air, and metal. Although metal's not really an element when you think about it..."

"Why are there so many kinds?" Sakura asked him interestedly.

"Each dragon has a special kind of magic. Based upon which element they represent, they can harness the element's energy to suit their purposes. So fire dragons control fire, water dragons control water, and so on and so forth."

Always eager to find out more, Syaoran said, "Are there many dragons in these parts?"

"There're quite a few of them, but they rarely appear before humans."

"For there to be so many do they have some sort of a government?" Fay interjected.

"The structure of dragon society's a bit complicated," Kurogane said. "Basically, there're five dragon clans for the five elements. In each clan there're families with different ranks, something like the different statuses you find among nobles. You'll almost always find someone who'll be higher than the other. The highest dragon family in rank rules over the clan, with one of their members as the Head. So in total, there're five dragons, each representing their element, who compose the Dragon Council."

"The Dragon Council?"

"Mnh. The Dragon Council is ruled by two dragons who're apart from the others: the Silver Dragon and the Golden Dragon. They don't rule over one specific element, but are rather a blend of all of them. They're the most powerful and the most independent, with supreme leadership over all other dragons. It's their job to decide when the Council meets, which is a rare thing and only happens on special occasions."

"You certainly know a lot about dragons," Sakura marveled.

Kurogane waved his hand indifferently. "It's nothing, really. I was curious about it myself a few years back and Evenstar explained it to me once, that's all."

"I take it this Evenstar is another dragon?" Fay guessed.

"Yeah."

"Just how many dragons _are_ you acquainted with?"

Kurogane's brow knitted. "Let's see..." he mused as he began ticking names off his fingers. "Firebolt, Silverthorn, Cloudbeard, Serpentscale, Greenleaf, Lightningstreak, Pewterstone, Evenstar, Thunderbell..." He shrugged. "That's it."

"N-nine?" Syaoran nearly choked on the number.

Fay grinned shakily. "That's quite a number!"

"Awesome! Awesome!" Mokona exclaimed exuberantly, twirling around in the background. "So many!"

"And you know them all?" Sakura asked him breathlessly, clasping her hands together.

"There're thousands more dragons I've never even seen, let alone heard of," Kurogane pointed out. "I'd hardly say I know them all."

"But still, it must be wonderful to know so many dragons!" she said, scooting up to his side. "Can you tell me more about them?" she asked him hopefully, her eyes shining.

Kurogane was thoroughly taken aback at Sakura's excitement. "You really wanna know more?" he asked her in astonishment.

"Oh, yes! Please, Kurogane-san?"

Not having anything better to do, he complied, relieved that he would be able to momentarily forget about recent events by focusing on something else. The others were also curious and listened with interest, sometimes asking him questions. Kurogane explained about dragon habits, customs, and their view on life. He even told them about their traits. "Dragons can be very emotional, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they're sentimental, except when it comes to music," he said at one point. "It's just difficult for them to hide their feelings."

Sakura nodded. "Firebolt sure let it on that she was angry with you for forgetting about her."

"That's Firebolt for you. She doesn't beat anything around the bush. If she has something to say, she says it. She's pretty impatient and doesn't sit to listen when I'm trying to give her advice."

"Just like Kuro-puu!" Fay grinned, ducking when Kurogane made a move to throttle him.

———————————————

The sun had long since set, and the embers of their fire had died down to leave ruddy coals. Everyone had gone to bed, and, as usual, Kurogane had taken the first watch, this time on his own, just like that morning. But because he had been awake for practically forty hours straight, he had inevitably nodded off, his head resting upon his chest as he snored.

But the dead of night was disturbed by a tumultuous roar in the distance, which caused the earth to start trembling beneath them. The noise was so loud that they all started awake because of it.

"What's happening?!" Sakura exclaimed, gripping Syaoran's arm in fear.

"It's an earthquake!" Mokona squeaked with terror, diving into Fay's hood.

Another vast bellow echoed around them, and the earth jerked violently beneath their feet, causing the whole cavern to shake and tremble with a thunderous roar.

Syaoran held Sakura close to him, trying to protect her from the crumbling debris of the ceiling as Fay raised his arms to protect their heads, noting that Syaoran was hardly taking any care to protect himself. The rocks came tumbling down upon them, some of them mere pebbles, while others were larger and more dangerous, easily exceeding the size of overlarge apples. The cave continued to tremor viciously, finally subsiding after several moments.

Kurogane raised his head from his crouched position on the other side of the cave. He slowly got to his feet, brushing off bits of rock from his cloak. "Is anyone hurt?"

Fay grinned shakily as he helped the others up. "A few bruises here and there is all." He patted Syaoran's shoulder reassuringly. "That was some earthquake, huh?"

Mokona tentatively emerged from its hiding spot, tittering excitedly. "Mokona got really, really scared! It was—" The cavern suddenly lurched again with a violent shudder, causing them all to lose their balance and fall to the ground. "Kyaaa!"

Kurogane struggled to rise as the cave continued to rock beneath him, throwing him off-balance. An ear-splitting shriek rent the air, and the ground seemed to shake even more. "Hang on—!" Kurogane cursed under his breath and gripped at the trembling wall in an attempt to support his weight as he made his way to the entrance.

"Kurogane-san!" Syaoran exclaimed, trying to get to his feet. "Where're you—?"

"Stay here!" Kurogane snapped. "This is Silverthorn's doing!"

"Remind me never to get on his nerves," Fay said dryly as the trembling subsided. "Both of their nerves," he added.

Kurogane snorted derisively as he crept out of the entrance.

It seemed as if an eternity had passed before Kurogane finally re-entered, followed by the most beautiful creature they had ever seen.

Silverthorn was a resplendent dragon with a regal bearing, whose towering form filled the whole cavern, his crown of golden horns nearly scraping the ceiling because of his height. He was slightly larger than Firebolt, and was wholly covered in shimmering silver scales. He had massive silver wings with golden wing claws, and the spinal ridge going down his back and reaching his long tail was also golden. He had golden whiskers flowing about his snout, and his ears were webbed and silver. Despite his massive size, which was the first thing one would notice about him, what stood out the most upon him were his piercing, ruby-red eyes.

"This is Silverthorn," Kurogane introduced him, almost with a note of pride in his voice. "He's one of the most important dragons, revered among the wisest of his kind." The introduction almost sounded formal. "He's agreed to shelter us until the storm passes."

Knowing a bit about dragon customs from what Kurogane had previously told them, they bowed their heads to Silverthorn solemnly.

Making a pleased sound of approval, he bowed his head back. He rumbled something to Kurogane in a deep, throaty voice.

"I took the liberty," Kurogane admitted. "Did I do something wrong?"

Silverthorn paused, his expression speculative. He then shook his head and proceeded into the cave, stepping carefully as to not make the earth shudder. He settled down a little way away from them, his scales making a slithering sound as he curled up and laid his head before himself, his long neck forming a curve.

Kurogane motioned to the others. "Listen," he said in a whisper, "Silverthorn wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of humans being in his cave. He could smell that we were in here, so he caused all that racket to scare us out. He apologizes if any of you got hurt."

"We're perfectly fine," Sakura assured him.

"How is it that he agreed to let us stay?" Syaoran inquired.

"Silverthorn doesn't exactly hate humans," Kurogane explained. "He just resents them because humans turned against dragonkind several decades ago, which forced them to go into hiding since they were being hunted down. As you can tell, dragons hold grudges. I suggest you be careful about what you say or do around him." His eyes rested upon Fay at these words. "I'm referring to _you_, in case you didn't get it," he said pointedly. "Knowing you, you'll probably let something stupid or other slip."

"I'm crushed," Fay sniffled, assuming a devastated expression.

———————————————

The next morning was as dreary as the previous day, and the blizzard had not lessened in the slightest. The sky remained a heavy, leaden-gray color, and not even the sun shone through the storm. The snow continued to fall heavily, covering the whole area with thick layers of snow. Sheltered in the cave, they were perfectly safe and protected.

The morning came and went without anything of earth-shattering importance taking place (unless you could call Kurogane chasing a food-stealing Mokona around important). The fact that Silverthorn also sojourned in the cavern with them had worried them at first, but by late afternoon, they had gotten used to his large presence (even though it_was_ a little unnerving the way only Kurogane was able to understand his language).

Syaoran stared moodily at the entrance of the cave, taking in the snow swirling around in the howling wind with his arms across his chest and his back against the cold stone wall. He was beginning to feel more than a little irritated about not being able to do anything in their confinement. Sure, he could always resort to scanning through the Prophecy, but how much can a person take reading through nonsense? Even Syaoran himself, who was not afraid to conceal the fact that he thrived on reading dusty old volumes filled with forgotten events and hidden mysteries, had finally decided to give up on its infuriating riddles.

Sakura sighed heavily, tearing her gaze away from Syaoran's form. She knew that Syaoran was chafing at their delay. She could tell by the small dip between his eyebrows and by the way she saw him struggling with himself, as if a heavy weight were upon his shoulders, weighing him down with exhaustion and fatigue. She could not blame his impatience; after all, they were so close to retrieving her memory shard.

Sakura was worried. More worried than she cared to admit, even to herself. She dearly longed to comfort him somehow, to assure him that everything would be all right. There was so much about him that she adored. His deep brown eyes, his soothing voice, his cool contemplation, the way he seemed to hover by her side whenever danger lurked around the corner, protecting her, regardless of his own life. She always had an impulsive urge to brush back his bangs, to be near him, to touch him... She could not understand the feelings she nurtured for him, even though she could tell that they were very different from the feelings she had for the others.

"We're going to have to brave the storm," Syaoran suddenly stated firmly, causing everyone to turn their heads and look at him in astonishment as he stood to his feet. "We're still around two days away from Solar Tower. We can't afford to wait any longer. If we leave tomorrow morning, we'll barely be on time."

"Snowstorms are very hazardous," Fay warned him from his seat by the fire. "If we're not cautious, we could be buried alive."

"We can't risk being late at the meeting," Syaoran objected. "We_know_ that the One Without Destiny has Sakura's feather. He's even using it against us." He indicated the storm brewing beyond with a wave of his arm. "We just can't risk not to intercept him because we'll have no idea where to look for him afterward." His expression grew bleak. "It's highly unlikely that he'll remain at Solar Tower."

"The kid's right," Kurogane agreed, crossing his arms. He was sitting beside Silverthorn, and the silver dragon raised his head slightly, following their discussion with mild interest. "We can't risk arriving later than the full moon."

"Who knows what his next move might be?" Sakura added darkly. "For all we know, he might be planning to use my feather for something disastrous. It's happened before."

"We can't do anything until this blizzard is over," Fay said, shaking his head. "He'll probably exhaust himself sooner or later since he's using the feather, so, eventually, the storm will recede."

"But that could take another day," Kurogane pointed out.

"Or even a week!" Mokona squeaked from Sakura's lap.

"Can't you do something, Fay-san?" Sakura asked him hopefully. "Certainly you could use your magic to—?"

"No," the fugitive wizard said strongly, a fleeting look of fear in his eyes, "I've told you before that I won't use my magic. I just can't." He bowed his head in shame, his blond bangs hiding his eyes in shadows. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan."

A heart-wrenching emotion of guilt mingled with regret and despair suddenly washed over her like a wave. She gasped silently and put her hand to her heart. The emotion had been so intense that she felt as if she would never be able to smile again. She stared at Fay in wide-eyed astonishment. What on earth had caused him to feel so..._disgusted_ with himself?

"But we have to get Sakura's feather back!" Syaoran protested vehemently, balling his hands into fists. "We can't let him stop us! Not now that we're so close!"

Mokona frowned in thought. "He must know," it said slowly. "He must know that we're very close for him to resort to using the feather."

"Meaning that we're on the right track," Kurogane concluded, straightening as he stood to his feet. "Since he's throwing obstacles our way it means that we're threatening him. So we have to push on."

"Even in the storm?!" Sakura asked him in shock.

"If it hasn't stopped tomorrow morning, we'll have no other choice."

"We'll freeze to death," Fay predicted with a wry chuckle. "It's not like our clothes are ideal for snowstorms!"

"You're such a—" Kurogane began hotly, but broke off when Silverthorn nudged his back, hard. He turned around to eye the dragon evenly. "What?" he demanded rather waspishly.

Silverthorn gave him a stern, reproachful look, his scarlet eyes flaming as he growled in disapproval. His glare could make even the bravest men feel weak-kneed and start trembling in terror.

Kurogane frowned at first in incomprehension. Then his eyes widened as it slowly dawned on him. "Oh...!" He slapped his forehead. "Man, I'm so stupid! I completely forgot!"

"Forgot what?" Sakura asked him, baffled.

"Silverthorn's an air dragon!" Kurogane indicated the silver creature, waving his arm excitedly. "He can tell when the weather changes by reading the signals in the atmosphere!"

The others blinked and stared at him blankly, obviously not having a clue what he meant.

Kurogane rolled his eyes and huffed exasperatedly, as if what he was trying to explain was the simplest thing in the world and they were ignorant little children who could not even tell apart a sock from a shoe. "Since one of Silverthorn's abilities as an air dragon is being able to determine when a storm will start or when a storm will finish," he proceeded to explain through clenched teeth, "he has kindly informed me that this specific storm is sure to pass sometime in the middle of the night."

Fay cleared his throat and raised his hand, as if he wanted to ask a question. "You _do_ realize that this storm isn't natural, don't you, Kuro-bun?" he asked the ninja pointedly. "How can Silverthorn tell when the weather will change since it's not natural?"

"Dragons are magical beings too, moron," Kurogane grumbled. "Unlike you, he's not restricted in using it, so it's quite simple for him to use his senses to determine how weak that bastard's gotten while using the feather."

Silverthorn flicked his ears and rumbled something incomprehensible.

"More or less," Kurogane replied. "We're trying to get them back."

He looked at him inquiringly, unfurling his wings momentarily to get them into a more comfortable position.

"They belong to her," Kurogane replied, indicating Sakura with a tilt of his head.

Sakura swallowed nervously when the dragon's red eyes fell upon her. Silverthorn stared at her for a long moment, then nodded once in approval.

"Silverthorn says that he suspected as much," Kurogane translated. "You're sending off vibes similar to the feather's."

"It's only natural since they're her memories," Fay interjected, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "It's remarkable that you have such intelligent magical creatures in Nihon." He looked at the majestic dragon and bowed his head to him in acknowledgement.

Silverthorn made a pleased sound of approval. He looked down at Kurogane and said something, clicking his tongue.

"He says to trust his judgment," Kurogane translated.

"Then let's hope he's right," Syaoran said seriously, "and that the storm will have passed by tomorrow morning."

———————————————

Kurogane's expression was pensive as he stared listlessly into the crackling flames of their small fire. He held his chin in his hands and he supported his elbows upon his knees, reflecting back on recent events. Now that the others were sleeping, he found to his chagrin that his mind could not be preoccupied. It was as if his mind had turned into some sort of machine, playing the images of his encounter with the mage over and over again. He still had not figured out what his true intentions might be. Kurogane wondered dryly if he was starting to lose his mind with his struggles to discover the truth. To be honest with himself, he felt like he was.

"Thou art troubled by something," Silverthorn commented from a few feet away from him, his tail swishing restlessly behind him. His penetrating gaze emphasized his statement. "There is a heavy weight upon thy shoulders."

Kurogane sighed and raked his hand through his hair. "It's just something that's been bugging me. It's a bit complicated. I feel that it's even more complicated than traveling from dimension to dimension." He struggled to find simpler words to describe what he meant. "From world to world."

"I understand the concept," Silverthorn said with a flick of his ears. "Only powerful magical beings hast the ability to perpetually achieve it, however." He regarded him inquiringly. "Is this the reason for thy unexplained absence from our midst?"

"Yeah. I got tangled up in a journey these last four years, a journey I never initially chose to take part in." He exhaled and rubbed at his face wearily. "At least you're taking it better than Firebolt. When I told her, she didn't believe me."

"Ah, Firebolt." Silverthorn sniffed disdainfully. "She is at times frivolous, and much too eager. She is a very enthusiastic young female."

"Young? She once told me that she's over three hundred years old."

"By human standards, she is very old, but dragons live much longer, as thou must certainly know. She is what one wouldst refer to as an adolescent."

Kurogane chuckled softly. "I thought she seemed immature at times. Ah... you don't necessarily have to mention I said that to her," he added hastily.

"I would not dream of it," Silverthorn assured him in such a solemn voice that Kurogane wasn't sure whether he was being serious or not. Dragons tend to have a very peculiar sense of humor.

"Just how old are you?" Kurogane asked him suddenly. "If you don't mind me asking, that is."

"I do not mind." Silverthorn shifted his weight slightly, resting his massive head upon his front claws. He replied after several moments of uneasy silence, "Though the answer shalt soon be irrelevant, I am well past mine second millennium."

Kurogane blinked, frowning in dawning comprehension. "But doesn't that mean...?"

"Yes," Silverthorn said gently. "I am old, even amongst my own kind. It is given to dragons to know the time of their death, and I can feel that mine time shalt soon draw to a close."

Kurogane did not know what to say, for he had been struck dumbfounded. "I... I'm sorry," he apologized simply. He suddenly felt ashamed that he had dared to ask him such a thing. It had been better not to know, to remain in a blissful frame of mind.

"Do not feel sad for mine part, Blacksteel." Among dragons, it was counted a formality to use name meanings. Names were considered to be the reflection of the soul, and referring to someone with their 'true name' was considered not merely an obligation, but a necessity. "I am weary, and it wilt be a chance for me to finally rest." Silverthorn looked down at him kindly. "I am at least pleased that we hadst the chance to meet again."

Kurogane could not think of anything to say that would not sound disrespectful or foolish, so he turned his gaze back to the fire, withholding a heavy sigh.

———————————————

True to Silverthorn's predictions, the next morning dawned clear and cold, the sky free from storm-tinged gray clouds. After packing their belongings and graciously thanking Silverthorn for his hospitality, they emerged into the blinding sun.

Everything was covered in white; from the mountaintops in the distance to the snow-covered fir trees in the nearby forest. The ground before them was heaped high with snow, and delicate snowflakes drifted down lazily, being swept up from the ground by the light wind.

Kurogane_tsked_ critically. "It won't be easy to get through all this snow."

Sakura stepped out into the cold winter light, wrapped up in her heavy cloak and wearing Syaoran's black gloves that he had lent to her at breakfast. Seeing the winter wonderland before her, she laughed exuberantly and rushed out of the cave entrance, spinning around as she opened her mouth to catch the delicate snowflakes on the tip of her tongue. Her breath was a white plume in the cold air as she turned. "Come on, Syaoran!" she urged him with a wave of her hand. "It's so beautiful!"

"What?!" Syaoran asked her, baffled.

"Come on!" she repeated stubbornly, grabbing his wrist and pulling him after her. "Let's play with the snow!"

"But, Sakura..." he spluttered weakly, reddening.

"It'll be great!" She released her hold on him once she had managed to drag him to the center of the clearing. She looked at him, smiling, as her expression turned mischievous.

Syaoran took a nervous step backward, raising his hands. "Sakura, if you're planning to do what I think—" However, he never managed to complete his sentence as a snowball came hurling into his face, accompanied by a spirited bought of silver laughter.

Sakura grinned. "I bet you won't be able to catch me," she said, breathless with excitement.

Syaoran slowly wiped his face clean and looked at her, smirking. "Wanna bet?" he said, bending and gathering snow to him.

Sakura laughed and ran from him, but Syaoran was too quick for her and easily overtook her. He caught her in his arms and rubbed a handful of snow into her hair. Sakura shrieked with glee and tried to twist away from him, but he was too strong. On a sudden impulse, she stepped hard on his foot, causing him to relax his hold long enough for her to push him away. Syaoran lost his balance and began to fall, but grabbed hold of Sakura's hands to steady himself. Unfortunately, she had been taken off-guard and ending up falling on top of him.

Sakura blinked twice, then burst out laughing. After a moment, Syaoran joined in the laughter.

Fay and Mokona sniggered heartily. "Is it just me, or did I sense some sparks circulating between them?" the wizard grinned at the creature upon his shoulder.

"It's love-love!" Mokona twittered excitedly.

Silverthorn stepped out of the cave, the sunlight reflecting upon his silver wings. He lowered his head to Kurogane, his expression serious.

Kurogane reached up and stroked his snout, running his fingers along his gleaming scales. He seemed on the verge of saying something, but hesitated. He wanted to say something—_anything_—but he could not find the words to express his feelings. "I'll miss you," he finally managed to whisper.

Silverthorn smiled a dragon's smile and nuzzled him in farewell.

Kurogane put his arms around his neck. When he pulled away, his cheeks were damp.

Silverthorn gave him one last, reassuring smile before turning his back on him, spreading his massive wings. With strong thrusts, he lifted himself into the air and flew away, toward the far-off mountains.

Kurogane hastily wiped away his tears, avoiding making eye-contact with the others, who had turned to see their exchange when the dragon had emerged from the cave.

Sakura, her expression now solemn, stepped up to him and wordlessly squeezed his hand in understanding.

"You can tell, can't you?" Kurogane asked her in a voice he struggled to keep even.

She nodded with downcast eyes. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

"It's for the best," Kurogane said steadily, trying to make himself believe his own words. "He's tired. He'll be able to rest now." He held her hand a little longer in gratitude before letting go. "We'd better get a move-on," he said in a gruff, business-sounding tone, squaring his shoulders as he climbed onto his horse. "We need to get back to the Highway and follow it for another day before we head for Solar Tower."

They mounted without a word and steered their horses south, back toward the Highway. It was slow going at first since they were not following any paths, and the snow was difficult to struggle through, but after around a quarter of an hour they managed to locate it. They followed the worn-paved road for the better part of the day at a steady canter. Well into the evening, they set up camp and settled contentedly around the fire, absorbing its warmth after their meal.

The silence was broken by Syaoran. "According to the calendar, tomorrow night's moon will be a full moon," he reminded them.

"We've still got a few miles to go before we hit the path that'll lead us to the Tower," Kurogane said. "I judge we'll barely be in time for that meeting."

"So there's no chance in looking around at all, is there?" Sakura mused.

"We'll have to be prepared to face anything," Syaoran said determinedly. "Since we won't have any time to look around once we get there, we'll have to keep our guard up. What's certain is that the One Without Destiny won't give up the feather without a fight."

"Hell, yeah," Kurogane snorted in agreement.

"It always falls down to fighting," Fay noted dryly.

Sakura sighed, supporting her chin in her hands. "Why do I get the feeling that we're walking into this blindly?" She looked up at them seriously and said, "Even though we've managed to discover more about the One Without Destiny I still feel as if we know absolutely nothing at all."

"I guess it's normal to feel like that," Kurogane decided. "We don't know the true face of our enemy, so it's only natural for us to feel helpless." He shrugged and leaned back upon his forearms. "But it won't do to worry over it. We're as ready as we'll ever be. What'll happen will happen, regardless of the unavoidable choices we'll have to make." His frown deepened, as he was reminded darkly of what the mage had told him.

"Aren't you a bright ray of sunshine?" Fay commented with a faint smile.

"Somebody's gotta keep his head on straight," he grumbled. "You're way too flighty for your own good."

"It's one of my failings," Fay admitted blandly, buffing his nails on his shirt.

———————————————

They set off the next morning at a brisk trot for a few miles before turning southeast to follow the small trail that Kurogane assured them was the right path that led to the Tower. After trudging along for the rest of the day with the freshening wind blowing in their faces and the sun having long since set, Kurogane pulled on the reins of his mount, halting. "Here it is," he breathed, his breath steaming in the cold night air. "Solar Tower."

It was a spectacular sight to behold. The massive structure loomed above them, its tip lost in the dark clouds that obscured the full moon, drowning the world in shadow. Although the walls appeared gray in the night, it was apparent that they were sheathed in a thin layer of pure gold. The structure was basically a traditional pagoda, the series of rooftops climbing up to the top black-colored and untouched by time. The Tower had remained whole and intact, surely because the ancients had fashioned it in honor of the Sun Goddess.

Kurogane dismounted and tethered his horse to the branch of a near-by tree. "Amaterasu Omikami still remains the most important of our deities," he explained, strapping his sword to his side, "even though she's left us on our own. That's probably one of the reasons why Solar Tower hasn't been touched. The same goes for Lunar Tower, since we still worship her brother, Tsukuyomi No Mikoto."

"We?" Syaoran asked him curiously, listening to his words with fascination as he tied Hien to his waist.

"The people of Nihon. As High Priestess, Tomoyo is considered the only person who can still come into direct contact with him. I don't know if she's ever tried it, though."

Fay strapped his quiver over his back and hefted his bow. "You could ask her afterward," he mused, fingering the taut bowstring professionally. "You know, after we get the feather and you get back to Nihon."

Kurogane froze. "...Yeah," he said after a moment, feigning a casual tone.

Syaoran looked down at his feet and Sakura bit her lower lip. Whenever Kurogane's departure from the group was breached, they all felt rather uncomfortable about it. None of them were keen on discussing the matter, each of them half-wishing that the moment would come and pass in a blur just to get it over with, while also half-wishing that the moment would never come. What they shared was more than just ties of friendship, binding them together. They had been through so much that they practically considered each other as family.

The awkward silence was thankfully broken by Mokona's observation as it perched on Sakura's shoulder. "I'm getting some strange vibes," it said seriously. "Right at the top of the Tower."

"Why do they always have to be at the top?" Fay commented, trying to raise their spirits. "You'd think villains would get tired of always having to be aloof from the rest of us poor simpletons."

There was some laughter at this all too true statement, however, admittedly strained. They turned to the large entrance, an intricate design of the sun over the arch.

Syaoran pushed the door open. It immediately yielded to his touch, proving that the Tower had been indeed used recently. Nodding slightly, he took a step inside, the others following after him.

The interior was large and spacious. The walls were painted a deep red, and the floor had various patters of swirling suns emblazoned upon pale turquoise tiles, evenly spaced between themselves. The ceiling rose up quite a way, its top hidden in darkness, large marble pillars supporting it. It was difficult to hide their awe at the peculiar architecture.

Syaoran proceeded forward, heading for a large circular staircase at the end of the chamber. Urged on by Mokona's directions, they laboriously climbed the stairs, passing several floors that they only shot a cursory glance at, since they equally resembled the ground floor.

"This place is beautiful," Sakura said, amazed.

"All I've got to say is that it's weird that this place is empty," Kurogane grunted, subconsciously tightening his hand around the hilt of his sword. "It's so huge you'd think that there'd be something other than the decorative painted symbols to look at."

"Maybe there was, a long time ago," Syaoran mused as he climbed higher. "That's usually the case with ancient monuments. So many people come and go... the only thing left is the monument itself."

After passing another floor, they reached the top of the staircase, coming into a similar antechamber as the other floors, with the sole difference that there was a door situated a few feet away from them with a peculiarly-carved symbol upon it barring their way.

"I can sense something beyond," Sakura said quietly, half-raising her arm. "Something... peculiar."

"It's strange," Mokona squeaked, nodding its head vigorously in agreement. "But I can't tell what it is."

Sakura turned to face the others. "Now what?"

Kurogane loosed Souhi in its scabbard. "No point in dawdling now, is there?" He strode forward and pushed the door open.

They walked in on the largest chamber yet. It was different in style with the other floors. For one thing, the ceiling was made out of the shingles of the rooftop rather than marble, and not supported by pillars like on the previous floors, but by crisscrossed wooden beams. Three of the walls were taken up by marvelous tapestries that covered them wholly, and there was no fourth wall. Instead, in its place was a wide opening that led out to a large balcony. But something notable was that there was a throne in this room; a large marble seat, empty but for a small velvet cushion.

Kurogane kept a firm grip on his sword-hilt, as did Syaoran, while Fay slowly drew an arrow from his quiver. Sakura kept close to them, nervously looking around.

After several moments of tension, Kurogane exhaled explosively. "There's no one here. The meeting's probably over." He scowled in disgust. "We came all the way here for nothing."

"But I can still sense the One Without Destiny," Sakura said indignantly. "He hasn't left."

Syaoran pursed his lips in speculation, then his eyes widened as he gasped in realization. "Hang on... it's a trap! He sent people after us to make us _think_ that we were on the right track and that we were threatening him. But he did it on purpose! The amulet, the note... he left all of those clues intentionally! He _wanted_ us to come here!"

"And the thief..." Fay said slowly. "He really _was_ telling us the truth, but all of those assumptions he made sounded too right for someone who had lived on the streets and had never had a proper education."

"Do you mean he intervened? Again?" Sakura said exasperatedly.

Fay's expression darkened. "In a way," he replied, frowning angrily. "I should have realized it sooner."

"So that bastard had his hand in just about everything that led us here?" Kurogane demanded, wondering if the One Without Destiny had also had anything to do with the mage.

"Apparently, that seems to be the case."

"And we fell for it," Syaoran spat bitterly.

_Clap, clap, clap._

"Very good," a low and vaguely familiar voice from the shadows said. "Your grasp of the obvious is positively dazzling."

Syaoran's eyes grew large as he drew in his breath with a hiss. "It's you!" he exclaimed.

Kyle's lips twisted to form a malevolent grin. "Surprising, isn't it?"

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** And at long last, they finally come face to face with the One Without Destiny! Did you guys realize that I was driving for Kyle or are you too shocked to speak? I dunno, maybe it _was_ a surprise. It fit for me to make Kyle the one behind it all, you know? No, he did not share the 'same fate with the castle' in Jade. He actually showed up in Piffle. He tried to steal the feather, but thanks to Mokona's 'super suction' special technique he was forced to retreat, slipping through a warp-hole that took him to another dimension... according to _When Worlds Collide_, to Kurogane's Nihon!

Um, what else do I have to mention? Oh, yes! The line Mokona sings is from the Disney _Sleeping Beauty_ movie. (I can't believe I actually _remembered_ that.) —sweat-drop— Oh, and the dragon names 'Evenstar' and 'Greenleaf' are taken from the _Lord Of The Rings_. The rest of the dragon names are names I made.

Pfff... I'm not too good with archaic form, so if I've made any slip-ups please forgive me... I mentioned once that dragons have a rather formal way of speaking, so using archaic form seemed appropriate, and it _was_ nice to get a deeper look at dragons, wasn't it? And even get the chance to see how they use speech. All of those habits, their society structure, their powers, etcetera, are my imagination going haywire again. Boy, my imagination sometimes gets the better of me, doesn't it? Just don't go thinking that all that stuff about dragons was pointless... Okay, I'll be naughty and spoil it a little. It wasn't pointless, it was needed. You'll see.

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	17. Bittersweet Victory

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 17 — Bittersweet Victory**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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Kyle clasped his hands together and stepped out of the shadows. He had his long, black hair tied in a ponytail, and his round glasses reflected the shimmering gleam of torches that burst to life as he passed. He wore a long cloak and peculiar tight-fitting garments, emblazoned with the characteristic bat-like symbol they had come to associate with their enemy. There seemed to be something different about him in comparison to when they had last seen him in Piffle. He seemed more sure of himself for one thing, and power seemed to flow about his form—a dark, foreboding power.

"Long time no see," Kyle smirked, confidently folding his arms across his chest. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd changed your mind about coming here. The full moon will soon reach its peak, and the midnight hour will come and pass." He eyed them carefully. "Cutting it close, aren't we?"

Syaoran's grip on his sword-hilt tightened. "You tricked us into coming here," he accused. "There was never a meeting. All you wanted was to get us."

"Not exactly, but why must we dwell on petty little details?" Kyle said with the air of someone who knew perfectly well what he was doing. His sea-green eyes glinted. "The point is that you came."

"Give us the feather," Syaoran said, his eyes narrowing determinedly.

"What," Kyle snorted with laughter, "you mean this thing?" He parted his cloak slightly and withdrew an incandescent sphere, the beautiful white feather clearly enclosed in its center, glowing faintly. "Do you honestly think I'll just hand it over because you tell me to?" The smiled quickly faded and was replaced by a chilling expression as he delicately balanced the sphere upon a pedestal that had suddenly risen from the marble floor. He waved his hand and a shimmering force-field engulfed both the pedestal and the memory shard, ensuring its safety. He turned and fixed them with a dangerous look. "Unless you're willing to die for it," he said ominously.

Sakura gripped Syaoran's forearm fearfully. Fay stiffened and Mokona gasped audibly. Kurogane tensed, his hand closing upon the pommel of his sword. But unlike his comrades, Syaoran firmly stood his ground.

"You see," Kyle drawled, "I have my orders, which are simple really, once you get right down to them."

"You want to kill me and the wizard, and take the kids for some reason or other," Kurogane snarled impatiently. "We already know that from those spineless mercenaries you hired."

"Astounding," Kyle murmured, inclining his head mockingly. "I never expected someone as dim as you to remember such a vital piece of information."

Kurogane said nothing, but his eye twitched.

"But you're a little off the mark," Kyle admitted. "My task is not as simple as you may think, for there are more things besides those that need to be attended to. Something concerning this, something concerning that... You know how tedious these things are. But..." His eyes swept the group. "...there is one missing from the Fellowship," he said softly, his voice carrying throughout the large chamber.

Syaoran narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Missing?" he repeated.

"Yes," Kyle smiled. "It's a shame, really. I was looking forward to meeting her in person. I guess I'll just have to deal with her afterward once I've finished with you."

Fay drew in his breath sharply, immediately realizing who he was referring to.

Kyle wore an amused expression. "Why, Fay, you only just realized it?" His gaze then fell upon Kurogane. "You of all people should have been the first to know whom I speak of," he said quietly as he walked up to him calmly, as if he were simply taking a casual stroll out in the countryside. "Would you like a hint?" He took a few more steps until he was right before the tall ninja. He smiled slowly and whispered loud enough for the others to hear, "You've shoved your tongue down her throat."

Kurogane had kept his face expressionless up to now, determined not to be provoked. But this was finally too much. It was one thing to insult him, but it was a completely different thing to drag what he and Tomoyo did or did not do into an insult. The only indication of anger that he showed was the flash of his crimson eyes. His sword leapt from its sheath and he lashed out at Kyle in one smooth and rapid movement.

But Souhi froze two inches from Kyle's neck, and no matter how hard Kurogane tried to make his hand sink the sword into his enemy's flesh, he could not pass the invisible barrier that Kyle had enveloped around the enraged ninja. Kurogane's arm muscles trembled as he labored to pass the magic force-field confining his movements.

"Feisty," Kyle commented lightly as he fingered the blade. "You keep it sharp," he noted, somewhat satisfied. He chuckled sinisterly as he turned from Kurogane and seated himself upon the throne, casually leaning his elbows upon the throne's arms. He waved his hand lazily and freed Kurogane from his spell.

Kurogane stumbled forward, losing his balance, for he had been trying to free himself and had been caught off-guard when the magic lifted. He glared at Kyle vehemently, breathing heavily, as he held his sword tightly in his fist. "Are you too afraid to face me without your powers, you bastard?" he grated through clenched teeth.

Kyle merely laughed as he wound his hands together, obviously enjoying himself. "All in due time, Kurogane. I have some things to attend to before I move on to you." He crossed his legs and surveyed them with an almost casual air. "So, as you can see, I am not the same man you used to know. I now have power... more power than you could ever imagine. I can manipulate anything, bend anyone against my will."

"So that's how you got Prince Dai to agree with your plans," Sakura suddenly said. "He was a coward. He would have never made a move to kill Princess Tomoyo on his own."

"Precisely," Kyle admitted without preamble. "Something for everyone, as the saying goes."

"But I fail to see what you gained."

Kyle smirked and shrugged indifferently. "Oh, but I did gain," he murmured malevolently. "I was able to observe Tomoyo-hime through him. I now know her every hope, her every dream, her every weakness... It will be a simple thing to overwhelm her and claim her powers."

"That's what you wanted all along, isn't it?" Fay demanded. "More power."

Kyle's eyes rested upon Fay. "I am merely following orders," he replied simply. "Fei Wang Reed desires the adolescents. I can understand why. He also desires Tomoyo-hime. Her magic, specifically." His mouth twisted into a grotesque smile. "He also wants _you_ to suffer by _my_ hand."

Fay's hands tightened around his bow-shaft. "...In what way?" he asked him warily.

"By witnessing grief and despair, all over again. He said nothing about absorbing your magic, so I will absorb it instead. It will suffice, since that was part of the bargain." Kyle grinned malevolently as he extended his arm and pointed his finger at the blond wizard.

Fay had no time to react, and even if he had been meaning to use his magic to protect himself, he would have been too late. A beam of red light hit him squarely on the forehead and he teetered backward, as if he had been dealt a mighty blow. His cerulean eyes widened slightly in surprise as he stared avidly at something before him that the others could not see, his bow and arrow falling with a clatter onto the marble tiles.

"Fay-san!" Sakura gasped.

Syaoran whirled around to face Kyle, his eyes blazing with anger. "What did you do to him?!" he exclaimed.

Kyle smirked. "I've simply trapped him in his own fears." He put a forefinger to his lips in a shushing gesture. "Now watch," he commanded them. "This will be a priceless moment."

Fay continued to gape at the space before him, his eyes growing bigger in dawning fear and comprehension. "No," he mouthed, shaking his head. "It can't be..." Then his pupils contracted so much that they could hardly be discerned. "Ashura-ou!" he gasped.

"Ashura-ou?" Syaoran repeated in recognition.

But he had no time to contemplate the matter further, for Fay raised a violently trembling hand to his face, as if trying to shield his eyes from the horrors he was witnessing. "I had to!" he cried out, falling to his knees. "Please..." He started to rock back and forth, clutching at his head in pain. He screamed shrilly as he fell to his side, his body writhing. "_Nooooo!_"

Sakura drew in her breath sharply and clutched at her chest in pain. _"Ahhh!"_

Syaoran's head swiveled with lightning-speed from Fay's form to Sakura's. "Sakura?" he cried out in alarm.

Sakura gripped Syaoran's sleeve and weakly raised her head. "Stop it!" she shouted out hoarsely. "Please, lift the spell! He's in terrible agony!"

"Not likely," Kyle said in a deadly voice.

"What's the matter with her?" Kurogane demanded anxiously. "Did that bastard attack her, too?"

Mokona cocked his ears. "Now I get it," it murmured quietly. "Sakura's strongest power is being able to sense someone else's thoughts and emotions. If one of us is in intense mental pain, she also shares the pain in part."

"Sakura, hang in there," Syaoran whispered to her reassuringly as he drew his sword and turned to face Kyle. "Let Fay-san go!" he said determinedly. Kurogane stepped up beside him, his sword also at the ready.

"Ah," Kyle drawled, "is it time to pick up the pace?" He grinned mirthlessly. "Well, I won't be one to disappoint you."

He waved his hand negligently, and Syaoran, Sakura and Mokona were suddenly lifted about ten feet into the air. The air shimmered around them and they found themselves enclosed in a glass-seeming globe.

"We're trapped!" Mokona squeaked, clutching desperately onto Syaoran's hair. "He's trapped us in a magic ball!"

"But what about the others?" Syaoran said as he pressed his hands against the smooth and transparent walls, trying to make out what was happening below.

Sakura inhaled deeply. "Leave it to me," she said quietly as a glowing pink nimbus surrounded her.

Syaoran obliged, stepping back a pace, trying to give her room.

Sakura, her expression one of fierce concentration, slowly raised her hands, palm outward. A bright shaft of light shot forth from her hands and sprang back like a boomerang as soon as it had made contact with the walls. Sakura was forced backward into Syaoran from the force as it hit her chest, and her sharp gasp of pain made Syaoran's heart ache.

"Sakura!" he cried as he held her protectively in his arms. "Are you all right?!"

Sakura blinked and moaned as she raised her hand to her head. "That was a mistake," she mumbled.

"You still don't know how to properly use your powers," Mokona told her. "You could do yourself some serious injuries if you start experimenting on your own!"

"But... it looks like... Kyle-sensei's getting ready to do something..." she protested weakly. She peered through the transparent walls, and since they were unable to do anything to free themselves from their prison, they could only look down upon the sight unfolding before their eyes.

Kurogane gritted his teeth as his gaze traveled from Fay's writhing form, to the globe where the others were trapped. It was obvious that he had underestimated Kyle. He had not been expecting him to be so effective and efficient in his methods of overwhelming them. How could he possibly stand a chance against him? He did not have any magic powers.

Kyle smiled grimly. "Now it's just you and me," he purred venomously.

Kurogane inhaled deeply as his hand tightened around Souhi's hilt. "If you're so bent on getting rid of me and the wizard, how come you haven't placed me under the same spell?" he asked him tensely.

Kyle smiled grimly. "Because I have something I want to reveal to you before I take care of you," he said in a low voice.

Kurogane suppressed a shudder. Kyle's words were like poison, sapping him of his strength. "And what d'you wanna tell me?" he demanded impatiently. "Spit it out, it's not like I have free time on my hands, you know."

"Actually, we have all the time in the Universe." Kyle grinned maliciously and took a step closer to him, advancing dangerously.

Kurogane tried to back away from him, but he was unable to move a single muscle, as if he had been frozen solid. Surely due to Kyle's magic again.

Kyle reached his side and whispered right in his ear, "You do not know the truth surrounding your birth."

"What the hell're you talking about?!" he snapped.

Kyle chuckled. "You've always believed that you were of the House of Ito, vassal to the Imperial family of Nihon. Son of Aya and Kumaso Ito, and brother to Suzue Ito, have you not?"

Kurogane wanted to lunge at him, but he was paralyzed by his magic.

Kyle's next words were deadly. "All of your life you've been living in a lie. Haven't you ever wondered why your father has been less than affectionate with you? And haven't you ever wondered why you sometimes feel apart from others?"

"That's a load of crap! You're trying to trick me with all of these ass lies!" Kurogane snarled. But with a sinking feeling in his stomach, he _knew_ that Kyle wasn't lying.

Kyle put his face very close to Kurogane's. "You wish," he said in a dangerous voice. "But you know very well that I speak the truth." Kyle raised his hand before Kurogane's face. "Watch very closely, now. For you are about to witness the truth regarding your past." He swept his hand over Kurogane's eyes.

The last thing Kurogane saw was Kyle's malicious smile before the darkness took him.

_He snapped his eyes open and nearly dropped his sword in his surprise, for his surroundings were totally unfamiliar to him._

_He appeared to be in a large, spacious room, presumably a bedchamber, for the floor was littered with silken cushions and pillows, and a blue-draped divan was situated in the far corner. Delicately-painted kakemono scrolls hung upon the walls, either depicting personages, either depicting beautiful scenery. Even as abysmal as Kurogane was when it came to tastes in decor, he could tell by the arrangement of the paintings, the flower-vases, and the soft hue of the curtains, that he was clearly in a woman's room. Sunlight filtered through the window, wholesome light that left no doubt that it was probably fairly early in the morning. But hadn't it been close to midnight?_

_Kurogane's grip tightened on Souhi, his eyes darting wildly around the room. Where was he? What had Kyle done to him? But before he could try to think of a way to escape, a sudden cry drew his attention. His brow creased, and he carefully made his way across the room to the source of the sound. He cautiously peered around the corner, and what he saw only confused him even more._

_A young woman was lying on a makeshift sleeping pallet, her long black hair sprawled about her, bringing out her pale face. She emitted a low moan, and Kurogane realized that it had been her voice he had heard before. She was drenched with sweat, her face a grim mask of agony. Her robes were smeared with blood, and she gripped at the bed sheet to withstand the pain of childbirth._

_"Just a little further," an old woman urged her. "You can do it."_

_The young woman cried out and gasped with sudden pain as the midwife finally managed to pull the newborn from her womb._

_"There, you did it," the tired midwife said with relief as she held a squirming infant in her arms. She cut the umbilical cord still joining it with its mother. The newborn wailed to clean out its lungs of the liquid trapped in them, and when the task had been completed, it quieted. The midwife handed it to a serving-maid, who departed from the room with a respective bow._

_The woman lay back against the pillows, drawing ragged breaths. "Is my baby all right?" she whispered._

_The midwife smiled reassuringly at her as she smoothed her sweaty brow. "He is just fine."_

_The woman smiled weakly. "A boy?"_

_"Yes, my Lady, and he looks like he is going to be a strong man when he grows up."_

My Lady?_ Kurogane repeated silently. Was that woman some sort of noble?_

_The woman sighed. "My baby boy." She looked up at the midwife. "When will I be able to hold him?"_

_"Soon," she promised. "We must clean him first."_

_The midwife silently departed from the room without another word as soon as the exhausted woman had been claimed by sleep._

_Kurogane turned his back on the noblewoman and frowned in confusion. What was Kyle trying to prove by showing him a labor? He screwed his face and tried to remember what he had said. Something about his whole life being a lie because he did not know the truth regarding his past. So what had Kyle done? Had he transported him to some other world? But how was that possible? As far as he knew, only Mokona was able to transport them to other worlds._

_His eyes suddenly widened and he inhaled sharply. Of course he hadn't been transported to some other world! Kyle was showing him the past!_His_ past! Kurogane whirled around and stared avidly at the sleeping woman, a lump forming in his throat. Then... could that woman__possibly be... his _mother_? Had he just witnessed his own birth? He licked his lips nervously as he gripped at the wall with one hand. If she _did_ turn out to be his mother... his _real_ mother... then Aya Ito, the woman he had always believed to be his mother all these years, was nothing more than a fake. He found that his mouth had gone dry, and that he could not swallow properly. Could it be true? His eyes darted to the door. There was only one way to find out._

_He slowly crept out of the room, passing through the door that the midwife had left open. He had to find out where those two other women had gone. If he saw... the infant, he thought, for he refused to call him by his own name before he was absolutely sure, then he would be able to reach a conclusion as to what was occurring instead of relying on wild guesses._

_Kurogane did not have to go very far to locate them; they were in the next room. Anxious not to be seen, he crouched behind a piece of elaborately-carved furniture right by the door, straining his ears to hear their low whispers._

_"Did you clean him?" the older woman asked the serving-maid._

_The girl nodded. "He is so quiet," she remarked. "He must be sleeping."_

_The midwife peered at the sleeping infant wound in a white bundle in the girl's arms, now free from blood. She frowned. "He is not sleeping," she said. "He is wide-awake."_

_The girl also frowned as she looked at the newborn. "The why is he not crying?"_

_The midwife shrugged. "I do not know."_

_She regarded the baby boy curiously. He stared right back at her, and the midwife hissed as she stepped back in surprise._

_Kurogane frowned and subconsciously leaned forward to get a better look at what had made her react like that._

_"What is wrong?" the serving-maid asked her, frightened._

_The midwife moistened her lips, uncertainty marring her otherwise calm features. "Infants are not supposed to be able to see the first few months they live," she explained._

_The girl nodded; she knew that already. She waited for the elderly woman to continue._

_The midwife's eyebrows furrowed. "This boy looks as if he is aware of what is going on around him and..." She drew a deep breath. "His eyes are... red."_

Red?!_ Kurogane gasped silently, his hand clenching in a fist as a number of conflicting emotions crashed over him like a raging sea._

_The serving-maid gasped as she placed her hand over her mouth, horrified. "A demon?"_

_Kurogane felt a sudden ripple of anger under his numb disbelief. _A demon?! I'm no demon!

_She extended her arms before her, as if fearful that the baby would perform some sort of devilry that would harm her. She laid him down upon the table and turned to the midwife. "What will we tell our mistress?" she asked her in fear._

_The midwife shrugged. "Nothing. She will see for herself when she awakes."_

_"Oh, Matsu-sama, you are cruel," the girl accused her. "What if she will not be able to stand it? She is very weak from giving birth to... it."_

_Matsu shrugged again. "I will not do anything unless she commands." She looked shrewdly at the girl. "The mistress may be displeased if we take matters into our own hands."_

_The girl wrung her hands. "But it is obvious that this cannot be her baby! The gods must have taken the real one and replaced it with this... monster!"_

_Matsu sighed as she turned to the door. For one fleeting moment, Kurogane feared that she had seen him, but she passed by him without so much as shooting him a cursory glance, as if he were invisible. "We shall see," she said, before closing the door behind her._

_Sighing, the girl shot one last, dark look at the infant before she, too, practically fled from the room._

_Kurogane remained stock-still for a long moment, trying to get to grips with what had just happened. Despite all he had seen and heard, a lingering doubt still remained. He finally got to his feet, holding his sword loosely at his side, his legs unwillingly leading him to the table. He dreaded to confirm his suspicions, but he just had to make sure. Extending a hand that slightly trembled, he made to pull back the blanket to see the infant clearly. When his hand made contact with the cloth, his fingers passed through the fabric, as if they had no substance._

_So, not only was he invisible, but he was also insubstantial. But that did not prevent him from seeing the newborn's face._

_He had a mass of messy, thick black hair on the top of his head, and his hands were closed in tiny fists. His serious face seemed to be screwed up in an expression of fierce concentration, his piercing blood-red eyes circling the room. Kurogane's eyes started from his face, for there was no doubt that this helpless little creature _was_him, complete with all of his traits and characteristics._

_What had happened to this newborn to be separated from the woman who had glowed with happiness to hear of his successful birth? What had happened for his life to change so drastically, to be raised by people who were not his family? But why had Kurogane never been told the truth? Why had no one even cared to tell him?_

_Kurogane tried to gather his scattered thoughts, but his surroundings suddenly flickered and changed in a swirl of color. "Now what?" he found himself wondering out loud in chagrin._

_He was back in the bedchamber again, and, apparently, some time had passed. By the position of the sun, he could tell that it was close to sunset, and the woman was seated comfortably upon the divan, cradling her baby boy in her arms. She crooned soft words as she smiled down at him warmly._

_Kurogane felt a painful stab of loss. As he gazed at the woman, who was looking down at the newborn in her arms with love plainly shining on her face, a throbbing ache filled his chest, an ache he knew stemmed from the fact that he had never had the chance to ever meet his real mother. She was an exceptionally beautiful woman with waist-length, black hair and pearly-white skin, her movements slow and graceful. Her eyes were a deep amber color, a soft expression reflected in them as she gently rocked him in her arms._

_Kurogane felt another painful stab. Everything he had ever known, everything he had ever believed in, had been a cheap lie, a despicable sham. Why hadn't he ever been told the truth? Why had he been led to believe all this time that he had a different family? He looked at his newfound mother longingly. What had happened to the sleeping infant curled so tenderly in her arms? What had been the reason for him to be separated from her?_

_Smiling, his mother gently eased the baby upon a soft cushion beside her on the divan, drawing a blanket over him. "Have sweet dreams, my son," she murmured, and her voice touched Kurogane's heart. It sounded so warm, so... _familiar_. The pain of loss became more acute._

_His mother stood and turned to the window, drawing the curtains closed. She stood still for a moment, her gaze locked upon the sunset. Finally, she turned back to the divan, sighing heavily. She raised her head when she heard a polite knock, and the door slid open._

_Matsu bowed in with a small tray in her hands. "Would you like some tea, my Lady?"_

_"Yes, please," she thanked her._

_Matsu said nothing as she prepared the tea, but Kurogane could tell by her expression that her thoughts were bleak. Shaking her head, she turned to offer the small porcelain cup to her mistress, but could not withhold a shudder when her eyes fell upon the newborn._

_Kurogane scowled darkly. The midwife obviously thought he was some sort of a demonic offspring, just like the serving-girl, just because of his eye-color. They were probably simple peasants who believed in superstitions and folktales. He knew he was wrong to judge them because of it, but still, it made him wonder if that had been the reason why he had grown up away from his mother._

_The noblewoman took the offered tea and drank some. She frowned and set the teacup down upon the table before her. "Matsu?" she whispered._

_"Yes, my Lady?"_

_"Can you keep a secret?"_

_Matsu arched her eyebrows curiously. "Yes, my Lady," she finally said._

_The noblewoman sighed. At first, she said nothing, as if trying to think through what she was going to say. "As you know," she said quietly, "my husband has been absent for nearly nine months on an expedition, and has no knowledge of the baby."_

_Mastu nodded, indicating that she understood._

_Kurogane's heart began racing excitedly, and he leaned forward eagerly so as to hear their conversation better. He was going to learn about his father._

_The noblewoman bowed her head and bit her lower lip. "But we... we have over a year to make love. And... no other man has touched me." Tears welled in her eyes and she choked back a sob._

_Matsu's eyes widened, and not being able to hold herself back, blurted, "Then how is it that you gave birth, my Lady?" She blushed crimson at her outburst and bowed low. "Please forgive me for my insolence."_

_She waved her hand. "I do not mind, for I am also confused." She wiped at her tears with a small handkerchief. "I have no idea where he came from," she confessed. "As you can see, he bears no resemblance to me."_

_Mastu gulped. "And are you certain... I mean..." She swallowed hard. "That no man...?"_

_The noblewoman shook her head. "I would never commit such a foul crime," she declared, a defiant note in her voice. "I love my husband, and I would never let any other man touch me, even should it cost me my life." She moistened her lips and clasped her hands in her lap. "What I need," she said in a voice that slightly trembled, "is answers. I need to find out how this was possible." She looked at the midwife, a hard glint of determination in her eyes. "Who else knows of his existence?"_

_"My Lady?" Matsu asked, taken aback by the unusual question._

_"Besides you and Akako, who else knows of the birth of my son?"_

_Matsu's brow knitted. "The rest of the household is aware that you were with child, my Lady, but so far, I believe that only we know of his birth. After all, only we aided you in your labor, and barely a day has passed since he was born."_

_The noblewoman nodded in satisfaction. "I would like to keep it that way. Until I discover the truth, at least."_

_"Yes, my Lady."_

_"And that is why I have a task for you," she continued. "I need you to bring me the soothsayer."_

_"The madman?" Matsu protested._

_"I have no choice. He is my only hope, for I need aid and guidance. Hopefully, he will be able to provide me with answers."_

_Matsu sighed in resignation. "As you wish, my Lady. When would you like me to bring him?"_

_"At once, if possible. You may go."_

_Matsu got to her feet and bowed low before drawing the door closed behind her. The noblewoman sighed heavily as she cast a sorrowful look at her sleeping child._

_Kurogane found himself sitting on the floor with no memory of how he had gotten there. He had been rendered senseless, overwhelming surges of shock coursing through his entire being, obliterating everything, except this... In the span of a mere half-hour, he had discovered that the people he had always thought to be his family were nothing but imposters, and he had discovered his biological mother. But..._

_He did not have a father._

_But how was it possible? How had he come into existence? His mind miserably failed to comprehend it, as it violated all the laws of nature. What _was_ he? Where had he come from? Fear suddenly gripped at his heart, a fear that made a chilling sensation penetrate his body. Was he really some sort of a demonic offspring? Was he really a demon because of his blood-red eyes and his savage lust for carnage? He felt numb, numb and deadened. It was as if he had lost the will to continue existing because of this horrible discovery._

_The scene altered once more before his eyes with a shimmering blur of color and motion. Reluctantly, he raised his head to see what would happen next, but he could care less. Everything else had ceased to matter._

_A soaked figure stood in the center of the self-same room, his cloak tattered and dripping onto the rug. His gnarled and knotty hands gripped an old staff, and his face was hidden in the large hood, its length in the front reaching below his nose. His mouth was surrounded by a silver beard, dirty with rain and grime. Kurogane surmised that this new personage was the soothsayer, but frankly, he didn't give a damn anymore._

_The noblewoman—his mother—eyed the soaked newcomer with a slight trepidation, as if wondering if she had done the right thing to bring him here._

_"I see," the hunched form said in a wheezy voice. He clicked his tongue. "Yes, I see your problem, Yukiko Midori."_

_She drew a deep breath. "And what must I do?"_

_He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Do you recall anything peculiar occurring nine months previously?" he suddenly inquired._

_"Pardon?" Yukiko asked politely, trying to mask her surprise._

_"Did anything strange happen? Some creature that acted out of the ordinary, or some sort of peculiar phenomenon? It might be something you did not consider out of the ordinary when it occurred."_

_She did not speak at first, a worried frown mirroring her bafflement. She looked up, slightly apprehensive. "The moon," she finally replied. "When I had been gazing at the moon one evening, its rays seemed to intensify, if only for a few moments. I did not regard it as something unusual, for I had only thought that it had been because of the moon not being obscured by clouds, but now..."_

_The soothsayer nodded knowingly. "I see," he repeated. "And you wish to know exactly what, my Lady?" he pressed._

_Yukiko was taken aback somewhat at his rather crisp tone. "I... I need answers. I need to know where he came from. And..." She took a deep breath. "...what I should tell my husband. He... he will think I have been... unfaithful."_

_"In a way that was inevitable," the soothsayer informed her, "as you were chosen by the very gods as the most suited to perform this task."_

_"E-excuse me?"_

_"It has been decided by ancient times what shall come to pass," he said cryptically. "Declared in the heavens by the gods themselves. There will be born a child with eyes the color of blood and hair as black as the darkest night. He is the one destined to be the most powerful warrior the world has ever seen. His fate is as complicated as the very structure of that which created the very Universe. The one who is like no other..."_

_"What are you saying?" Yukiko demanded._

_"What has been predetermined." The soothsayer turned to face her. "Nine months ago, the moon shone for you. Its beams fell upon you, and in that moment you conceived the Dragon Lord."_

_"I... what...?" She had forgotten all of her manners as she tried to comprehend what was happening. "The Dragon Lord...? What... what does _that_ mean?"_

_"It means he is the one who stands between our two worlds," the soothsayer explained, though his explanation only managed to confuse her even more. He nodded solemnly, as if readying himself for something. "You must give him up."_

_"What?! Whatever for?!" she demanded, darting instinctively to the sleeping infant._

_"As you told me before, your husband would never accept him, as he will most certainly believe that you were unfaithful. You cannot keep him."_

_"But he is only a baby!" she cried. "I cannot simply abandon him!"_

_The soothsayer said nothing for a time. "Bring him to me," he said suddenly._

_"What?"_

_"I must see him."_

_Almost as if some exterior force were controlling her limbs, Yukiko stood up, went toward the divan, and eased the newborn into her arms. Unwillingly, she approached the soothsayer and pulled back the blanket, revealing the infant._

_The soothsayer edged closer and looked down at the baby. The waif looked up at the old man and fixed him with an piercing look, his crimson eyes mirroring the soothsayer's reflection._

_The man chuckled softly. "You are the one." He gathered the baby in one of his arms, the other hand still clutching his staff tightly._

_He looked up at the horrified Yukiko, whose body seemed paralyzed. "I feel your pain," he said softly. "But you cannot fight Fate."_

_"Is he...?" She faltered, unable to finish her phrase._

_The old man arched an eyebrow, but it was a hidden movement from Yukiko, for his hood still hid his face. "He is no demon." He smiled wryly. "But then again, he is no mere mortal either."_

_Yukiko could not understand what was happening. Everything was hazy and dim to her._

_"Who in your household know of the child's birth?" he asked her._

_Yukiko's mouth felt like it was made out of lead. "My midwife Matsu, and the serving-girl Akako... everyone else simply knows that I was with child."_

_"I see." He clicked his tongue again. "You will tell them all that the baby died at birth. They will not say anything to your husband, for fear of his reaction," he assured her. "And both your midwife and the serving-girl will be more than happy to oblige, for they themselves believed him to be a demon." He turned to leave the room._

_"Wait!" she managed to gasp, extending her arm longingly. "Can I... can I at least say goodbye?" she begged._

_The soothsayer paused for a moment, as if considering her request. "Very well."_

_Yukiko gently took the sleeping child from the soothsayer and looked down at him for a long moment, biting on her lip to keep from crying. "I love you," she finally whispered hoarsely, tenderly kissing his forehead. She reluctantly handed him over to the soothsayer. "For some reason," she whispered, "I know that this is what has to be done." Tears poured down her face. "It is for the best, is it not?" she choked._

_"Do not fear for him. He will be well-cared for," the soothsayer assured her. "Take comfort in the fact that he is special."_

_Yukiko nodded brokenly. "I understand, but will—?" Although she continued to speak, Kurogane was unable to hear what else his mother said, as a chilling darkness crept over him and obscured his vision once more..._

Kurogane drew a shuddering gasp and opened his eyes, finding himself back in the present. He whipped his head around to look at Fay, who was still thrashing as he struggled with whatever horrors his mind was hurling at him, then to the globe where the others were trapped, still hovering several feet in the air. He slowly turned and saw Kyle, seated sedately upon the throne, as if he had no care in the world. Their eyes locked, and Kyle's smile mirrored pure evil.

"Enjoyed the trip down the memory lane?" he asked him knowingly.

Kurogane shook his head in an attempt to clear it. "What the hell was that for?" he snarled in the most insulting tone he could manage.

"Oh... consider it a gift, courtesy of Fei Wang Reed. He thought it appropriate for you to discover the truth about your past before I finish you off."

"I doubt he did it out of sympathy of my ignorance," Kurogane growled, hefting his sword menacingly.

"Of course not. He had his reasons."

"Yeah, but I guess he forgot to fill in some gaps, didn't he?!" Kurogane spat. His anger and confusion were strengthening him, preventing his mind from dwelling on his past for too long. It felt good to be angry, to be shouting, to be releasing his steam. "It's not like I ever got how the hell I was created, did I?!"

Kyle snorted with laughter. "I'd think that was obvious... although you _are_ rather dim, aren't you?"

Kurogane shot him the dirtiest look he could muster, his anger blazing white-hot inside of him.

"Think, Kurogane," Kyle smirked tauntingly. "Dragon Lord... the gods themselves choosing who your mother would be... you being no mere mortal... come on, it's not _that_ hard to piece it all together..."

Suddenly, it clicked. Kurogane's eyes widened to their fullest extent as he looked up, a myriad of emotions overwhelming him. "A... a dragon?" he croaked.

"There you have it," Kyle laughed mirthlessly, getting to his feet. "I guess you're not as dim as I thought."

Kurogane weakly sank to his knees, his eyes wide in numb disbelief, as he held his sword loosely in his hand. Now he understood. All too clearly. His fate was not his own to shape. He was a puppet, led along by the strings to perform each task he was destined for. His will was not his own to control. He had been created, created for some sick purpose by the gods. And worst of all, he was not human. Now he realized the truth. Why he had never felt close to his... family, he thought scornfully. Why he had sometimes felt different and apart. It all fit. It all fit so seamlessly together that he was astonished how he had never realized it sooner...

Kyle took an ominous step toward him. "So..." he said in a malevolent whisper. "How does it make you feel to know you're a dragon trapped in human form?"

Kurogane's mind was slow to react from his shock. "Trapped?" he repeated through numb lips.

"Oh, yes. Ryuujin was the god who bathed your mother in silver light, thus conceiving you. You see, your father is a god. And not just any god. He's the god of the dragons." He pursed his lips in mock-speculation. "I guess this is why dragons respect you so much, isn't it?"

Kurogane felt as if his heart had skipped several beats as he struggled back to his feet. Another piece of information that fit together perfectly; the fact that dragons had confided so much about their culture and their civilization to him. He had always wondered why they had shown so much faith in him... The last remains of his resolve began to crumble into dust. There was no doubt now that everything he had witnessed had been true... but what was he to do now that he knew that he wasn't a human, but... a dragon?

"I see you're not taking it very well." An amused smile tugged at Kyle's lips.

Kurogane gave him a flat look of pure hatred.

"You know, I'd love to give you time for this to sink in and all, but I have my orders to follow." He closed his hand in a fist, smirking, and a ring of blackness materialized around Kurogane's neck.

Kurogane gasped and groped at the ring with his hand, which began to shrink rapidly, squeezing his throat. He tugged on it in a futile attempt to remove it, but it was like trying to move a mountain. Even Kurogane, with all of his strength, was no match against magic. _Fight it!_ his mind screamed at him. _Don't let it end like this!_ But he was finding it harder and harder to focus, and even though he could open his mouth, he could not draw air into his lungs.

"I'll be sure to take good care of your princess," Kyle sneered tauntingly.

Kurogane's eyes widened as he staggered to his knees. _Not Tomoyo! No!_ He abandoned his sword and pulled on the ring fiercely, now using both of his hands, but all he succeeded was in scraping it against his neck in his attempts to free himself. The ring seemed to sink even deeper into his bleeding flesh, and he could feel his windpipe being crushed. He knew that it was all over. _I've failed to protect you all... I'm sorry, Tomoyo... guess I'm not coming back like I promised you..._ He could now feel blood trickling down his neck, and black spots danced across his eyes as he doubled over. _Forgive me..._

———————————————

Suzue pursed her lips. "Hmm..." She hitched the material up slightly. "Maybe we should make it a little shorter..."

"I like the length the way it is," said Tomoyo.

"For a cloak it's perfect," Suzue agreed, "but it's white. I'm afraid it's going to dirty very quickly."

"It's not like I'm going to go anywhere," Tomoyo teased. "This is going to be solely for formal occasions. You know, for my duties at the Shrine."

Suzue stepped back to admire her handiwork. "I suppose there's no problem, then," she conceded. "White suits you, Princess."

"Suzue-chan, I've told you not to be formal with me," Tomoyo complained with a little pout.

Suzue grinned. "Sorry, Tomoyo-san," she apologized. "Although sometimes I _do_ get carried away, I've had manners drilled into me. Unlike someone else I can name," she added good-naturedly under her breath.

Tomoyo parted the cloak slightly and looked approvingly at the white dress Suzue had made her. "I wonder what Kurogane will say when he sees me wearing this," she mused.

"Most likely his tongue'll get tied to his own katana," she giggled.

"You don't seem to have a problem with the 'scandal'," Tomoyo observed, the corners of her mouth twitching.

Suzue snorted in a most unladylike fashion. "It's about time," she said bluntly. "Whenever I came by to visit and I chanced to be in the same room with you two..." She shook her head in mock-despair. "...it was painstakingly obvious that you two were head over heels in love. Someone following your conversations would probably miss it, but the way you two would look at each other... Honestly, Tomoyo-san, sometimes I was tempted to shout out, 'Go ahead and kiss already!' like I knew you two wanted to."

"Was it really that obvious?" she asked in some surprise.

"It was to me. Nii-chan's pretty easy for me to read. I grew up with him, after all. I can tell what he's thinking just by looking at his face." She smirked. "The way he looks at you..."

"As if his eyes are boring into me," Tomoyo whispered softly. "His eyes are so captivating..."

"See what I mean?" Suzue laughed.

Tomoyo lowered her gaze and smiled bashfully. "I can't help it, Suzue-chan. Now that there's nothing in the way, my feelings are no longer suppressed." She sighed as she drew back her long hair. "We wasted so many years... what with him having to help the others, what with our stiff-necked pride, never admitting our feelings—" Her words were suddenly cut off as she gasped, clutching at her chest.

"Tomoyo-san?" Suzue said, alarmed. "What's wrong?"

Tomoyo did not answer as she doubled over in pain. Her heart felt as if it were being cleaved in a million pieces. She thought she could hear a familiar voice in her mind. _I'm sorry, Tomoyo... guess I'm not coming back like I promised you..._

Suzue flew across the room and wrenched the door open. "Souma-chan!" she exclaimed. "Something's happening to Tomoyo-hime!"

Souma, who had been talking with a fellow ninja a few feet away, stiffened and dashed inside.

Tomoyo's breathing was ragged. _Forgive me... _With her mind's eye, she saw someone fall. "Kurogane!" she shrieked as she staggered, falling to her knees. No... he was dying! She managed to raise her head and look up at Souma. "I leave you in charge," she gasped through clenched teeth.

"Princess, what are you saying?!" Souma demanded. Her eyes were wide in incomprehension and terror, and her mouth was hanging open.

Tomoyo screwed her eyes shut as she formed the image of Kurogane in her mind. She had made no promise not to meddle, and meddle she would. He had protected her so many times... now, it was her turn. She drew a deep breath and gathered her will.

———————————————

Kurogane fell to the ground, his vision blurring. How ironic that he was choking to death... He had always expected that if he were to die, he would die in battle, with a sword through the gut. Certainly not at the feet of one of his enemies, dying at the cause of magic. Hadn't Fay been nearly strangled to death only a few days ago? Ah, but then, Kurogane had been there to save him. But it was highly unlikely that Fay or any of the others was going to come to his aid. They were all trapped, trapped and helpless. No one was going to save him now... He wondered dryly why he was still able to think about such petty little things, and why he had not finished dying already. Maybe it was something natural when someone was dying. Had all the people he had killed experienced something similar?

He suddenly felt himself flung to the side, then, a searing flash of pain encircled his neck, and he found that he could breathe again. His chest heaved with his eager gasps for air, and he coughed weakly, clutching at his throat. The ring was gone. Sweet, wholesome air filled his lungs as his senses began clearing. How wonderful it was to breathe again!

"Are you all right?" he heard a familiar, melodious voice ask him anxiously.

His breaths were raspy and his eyesight blurred, but he recognized the voice immediately. "Tomoyo?" he croaked weakly. "What...?"

"I teleported myself," she explained quickly as she tugged at his shirt, urging him to get up. "I sensed that you were in danger and came as soon as possible."

He struggled to his feet, then suddenly gripped her shoulders fearfully. "You shouldn't be here!" he told her in a strained whisper. "It's too dangerous!"

"More dangerous than you being strangled to death?" she countered, her violet eyes flashing. As he began to protest, Tomoyo quickly said, "Don't worry, I can handle him. As soon as I take the feather, he'll be a sitting duck," she said confidently.

"I can't let you take that risk!"

A blinding flash of green light erupted near them and with a wave of her hand, Tomoyo dispersed it. "Surely you can do better than that," she said reproachfully, and, after a pause, added, "Kyle Rondart."

A snarl mixed with a mass of red-colored gas came hurtling toward them, but Tomoyo merely clapped her hands together once, and a ripple of blue light emerged from them, dissolving the gas. Kyle stepped forward from the shadows. "How did you know it was me?" he demanded, his features horribly disfigured by his fury and rage.

"Even a toddler could have figured it out," she boasted. "All the little hints you were leaving behind were glaringly obvious. It seems to me that power's gone to your head."

Kurogane could tell that she was trying to goad Kyle into doing something rash, but he could not help but feel a slight apprehension when Kyle finally spoke. "I'd say the same for you. All you're doing is defending yourself."

"Is that supposed to intimidate me?"

"Hardly. I'm just giving you a fair warning."

"Don't waste your breath."

Kyle smirked nastily. "You underestimate me."

"As do you."

Kyle conjured a mighty wind that sped to engulf her, but Tomoyo simply raised her hands, a beam of pure white light siphoning forward, hitting Kyle on the chest. He fell back with a cry and the wind died as soon as it had began.

"Kurogane, get the feather," Tomoyo told him, breathing quickly. "Now that he's been weakened, you'll probably be able to break through the force-field surrounding it by using one of your special techniques."

"But, Tomoyo..." He did not want to leave her side. For one of the first times in his life, he felt scared. Kyle was brutal, capable of resorting to anything to get his way—it had been proved so in the past—and Kurogane suddenly realized that the sense of dread that had been haunting him ever since he had left Shirasagi had been leading up to this moment.

"Hurry! There won't be a better opportunity!" she exclaimed, keeping a careful eye on Kyle, who was struggling to his feet.

Kurogane hesitated only for a moment, then, gritting his teeth, retrieved his sword, turned, and ran for the pedestal.

_"NOOO!"_ Kyle roared, hurling an energy sphere at the retreating ninja's exposed back.

"Kurogane!" Tomoyo shrieked as she darted forward.

Kurogane flung himself onto the ground just in time. He thought he caught the whiff of singed hair as the blazing energy sphere narrowly passed over him and crashed into the wall with a resounding tremble. He rolled over and got to his feet, quickly spinning around. He was prepared to face anything, anything but for the sight that met his eyes.

Tomoyo and Kyle were locked in a furious contest of wills. They hurled magic at each other so fast that it was impossible to follow their movements. Kyle threw a lightning-bolt, Tomoyo evaded it and showered him with needle-like white sparks, which Kyle deflected by creating a curtain of night. Even the very air surrounding them seemed charged and heated. The magic they flung at each other crackled and sizzled menacingly.

Kurogane felt dwarfed before such a display of power. It was the first time he was actually witnessing Tomoyo using such enormous quantities of her magic, and he feared that she would soon weaken herself. And his dreadful suspicions only proved too true.

Kyle grinned maliciously and raised his hand, channeling a mighty blast of magic from his palm. It was a pitch-black mass of darkness, which headed straight for Tomoyo with accelerating speed. She erected a hasty barrier to protect herself and took the attack head-on. Kyle grimaced and raised his other hand, amplifying the amount of his spell. Tomoyo's magic shield was not strong enough to face the intensified inky gloom and she faltered as the force of Kyle's sorcery peeled away her defenses.

"Tomoyo!" Kurogane gasped as he helplessly gaped with wide-eyed astonishment at the sight unfolding before him.

Tomoyo's barrier wavered, which was more than enough. A wave of night siphoned forward, her shield crumbling before it, and a pulsing shaft of the darkness hit Tomoyo squarely in the chest.

It seemed to take her an eternity to fall. Her flawless alabaster face was marred only by a small frown as she slowly sank backward, her sleek raven hair streaming about her as she fell spread-eagled onto the floor.

_"Nooooo—!"_ Kurogane wailed in a voice rent with unspeakable loss as he stumbled to her side. He reached out and fumbled to grasp her hand. It was as cold as ice, and she showed no signs of life. Kurogane blinked furiously as an annoying sensation began to build up in his eyes. "Tomoyo...?" He refused to believe what his eyes were showing him. It just wasn't possible, it wasn't.

"Please be all right," he whispered hoarsely, gathering her gently in his arms. Her body was as limp as a rag-doll's. "Please..." He smoothed back loose strands of her hair that dangled before her face with trembling fingers. "Tomoyo, please, open your eyes." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, his eyes brimming with moistness. "Open your eyes for me," he begged her.

She did not respond to his touch, nor did she open her eyes.

A choked cry escaped from his lips. "Why...?" he asked her in a broken voice, but received no answer. "Why won't you open your eyes for me?" He bowed his head over her and drew racking sobs, his eyes spilling with hot tears as he held her to his chest. "Come back to me!" He continued to weep uncontrollably, his shoulders shaking with undisguised grief as his embrace tightened about her still form. _"Come back!"_

A piercing noise reached his dumfounded senses, and it took him a moment to fully comprehend what it was. It was laughter; a cold, malevolent-sounding cackle. Kyle wore an amused expression on his face. "Poor, poor, Kurogane," he said softly in a mocking voice. "Does it really bother you so much that I killed her?"

Kurogane's face was a mask of pain and betrayed no other emotion as he laid his cheek against the top of Tomoyo's head, still cradling her protectively in the circle of his arms. He drew a shuddering breath, a heart-wrenching emotion of loss clutching at him.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "What a revolting display of affection," he spat in disgust.

Kurogane's eyes flashed with fury and his nostrils flared white with anger. His face was streaked with tears, but his expression was set, and his teeth were clenched with hate. Wordlessly, he gently eased Tomoyo back onto the marble floor. Gripping the hilt of his sword, he charged at Kyle with a fierce cry and a thirst for blood burning in his throat, which could only be quenched by spilling his life. He cared not about the need to control his savage instincts, for he intended to relinquish himself utterly to them to confront Kyle. And he would not regret it.

Kyle was ready for him. A black sword materialized in his hands, and he expertly blocked the blow Kurogane had nearly dealt. He swung out at him, but Kurogane leapt out of the way and lunged at him. There was a deafening roar in his ears, and all sounds were muted to him. His sword seemed weightless as he savagely swung at Kyle, but each of his blows was countered. When their blades clashed, they emitted sparks, so furious was their battle. It was good to be fighting again. Sword-fighting demanded every bit of a man's attention and pushed everything else from Kurogane's mind. But even so, it could not erase the image of Tomoyo, which continued to hover in his awareness. A towering rage had taken hold of him, and he wanted nothing more than to utterly destroy Kyle for taking away the only person he had ever truly loved.

Kurogane lashed out with Souhi, finally spotting an opening. His blade would have surely seared through flesh and bone had he not met with an obtrusion, the force of his attack backfiring on him and throwing him onto his back, his sword skittering away.

Kyle had conjured a shield to protect himself and had restrained Kurogane with magical bonds. He struggled against Kyle's sorcery in vain; his muscles trembled and he started perspiring heavily in his futile attempts to free himself. "You friggin' bastard!" he panted, his expression defiant. "Too afraid to play with me without your damn magic?!"

Kyle grinned evilly. "How can I fear someone who has already lost? Your resolve has broken. I've already destroyed you by showing you your past and by killing your princess." His expression became malicious. "That is how I defeated the greatest warrior in the world. By reducing you to a weak remnant of your former greatness." He loomed above him, hefting his sword. "I hope you're not feeling terribly put out with Tomoyo's demise. I'd so hate to kill you while you're blubbering with grief."

Kyle's words stung him, but they stung all the more because they were true. The immensity of what had happened had burst the dam keeping all of his emotions suppressed inside of him and he longed to flee, to escape, from everything and everyone, for nothing mattered anymore. Nothing mattered without Tomoyo. Nothing...

Kyle snorted with disgust. "You're pathetic," he spat. "Love is for weaklings, and the moment you let it enter your life you became a weakling yourself." He smiled cruelly and raised his black sword over his head.

Kurogane knew what was coming. He had been in the opposite position countless times. Knowing that he could do nothing to break his bonds and protect himself, he braced himself to receive the fatal blow and closed his eyes. He drew the image of Tomoyo's face from his memory. Tomoyo's smiling face had been the only thing that had ever touched him in such a profound way. For, the first time she had smiled at him, a few days after the siege upon Shirasagi Castle eleven years ago, had sealed his fate, and he had been ruined for any other. Kurogane now finally understood when he had first fallen for her, and he only felt his loss more keenly because of it.

"I'd rather kill you ever so slowly by dragging this on, but time is ticking, and I have to take care of Fay before I deliver the children to Fei Wang Reed," Kyle drawled, then grinned mirthlessly. "It's almost a shame that I managed to take everything away from you before the end." The sword came thrusting downward...

Kurogane had failed. He had failed to protect his friends, and he had failed to protect Tomoyo. He had failed to protect them all, and now he was going to die. He tensed himself and clenched his fists, ready to take the sword-thrust that would—

Wait! He could move his hands! Without a second thought, he quickly rolled out of harm's way, and Kyle's sword merely grazed his shoulder in a near miss.

Kyle's expression was shocked and he faltered. "How did you break through my magic?!" he demanded incredulously.

Kurogane did not know and he did not stop to contemplate it. Taking advantage of Kyle's hesitation, he drew out his dagger and slashed horizontally across Kyle's chest. Kyle stepped back at the last second and the gash turned out superficial, but nevertheless, it still bled heavily.

He clutched at his chest, his face white with pain. He shook his head, as if in a daze. "How...?" he repeated weakly. His eyes then fell upon something behind Kurogane. "You!" he gasped. "You're—!" He was suddenly thrown onto his back by a blast of magic, and was immediately enveloped in reddish liquid tendrils. "No!" he screamed as he was slowly being pulled into a crimson pool. "It's not possible!"

Kurogane realized what was happening, for it had happened to him, as well. Kyle was being transported to another dimension. Kyle's shrill cries of protest were cut short when he finally slipped through the portal, and the sluggish liquid dissolved into nothingness. But who had sent Kyle away? Kurogane turned around slowly and he drew in his breath sharply, his dagger falling from his slack grip onto the marble floor with a clatter. His heart started beating faster and his ruby eyes widened as they gazed into a pair of amethyst ones. "Tomoyo?" he whispered in a voice of mixed emotions. "You're...?"

Tomoyo was standing on trembling legs, and she smiled at him weakly. Her smile had not changed a bit in the last nine days. She took a step toward him, but stumbled, wilting like a flower. Kurogane sprinted forward to catch her, and as he cradled her in his arms it suddenly struck him that she was ever so small—such a fragile creature of beauty and grace. And yet, she was powerful, able to withstand even the most ruthless attacks. Kurogane could not help but feel admiration and pride for her. She was certainly no lowly weakling, and her present exhaustion was only due to her using up vast amounts of her powers to help them.

"Kurogane," he heard Tomoyo murmur, and her eyes fluttered open, "stop acting as if I'm made out of glass."

"What?" he asked her, genuinely baffled.

Tomoyo chuckled weakly. "The way you're holding me," she explained patiently. "It's as if I'm going to shatter in a thousand pieces."

Kurogane smiled faintly, for Tomoyo's sense of humor was the same as always. Why was he comparing the past with the present? He then understood that it was because he had been subject to severe changes and he was subconsciously making sure that everything else was the same.

"Hold me, Kurogane. I won't break," she assured him in a soft voice.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him, breathing in the calming fragrance of her hair. "I thought I'd lost you," he whispered hoarsely in her ear.

"Really, Kurogane, there's no need to be so melodramatic," Tomoyo chided him gently. "It'd take more than that to finish me off. I was merely stunned for a few moments, though, I have to admit, it _was_ pretty close."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm just a little tired, but I'm perfectly all right. Especially since I'm with you," she whispered. Her arms about his shoulders tightened. "I was so afraid I'd lose you."

"Not that I'm not glad for you two..." a muffled voice suddenly said from behind them. "But I could really use some help here!"

Kurogane and Tomoyo looked up in surprise to see Sakura, Syaoran and Mokona perched precariously atop a slowly suffocating Fay. They were still too dizzy from their fall when the globe had dissolved to notice that they had landed on top of him.

Kurogane snorted in disbelief and Tomoyo burst out laughing. After he had lifted her effortlessly back onto her feet, they went to help the others off of Fay. Sakura and Syaoran were horrified at what they'd done once they'd regained their bearings and kept apologizing to the wizard, only for him to finally shoo them away with a wave of his hand and a pitiful whine.

"Please, I don't think my nerves can last much longer," he begged, gently massaging his temples with his forefingers. "I feel like my head's going to split in two."

"Are you all right, Fay-san?" Sakura asked the slightly trembling wizard anxiously.

Fay took the water skin Syaoran offered him and drank deeply. "More or less," he said dryly. "Living your worst nightmare is no piece of cake, I can assure you." He forced a smile on his face. "So, Tomoyo-chan, if I'm not mistaken, you teleported herself here?"

"Of course," she replied. "It's not a difficult feat if you've got a clear idea of where you want to go."

"Or who you want to go to," he chuckled.

Syaoran's brow wrinkled in confusion. "But I thought that you could only transport a person to another dimension once."

"I thought so, too," Sakura said.

"It's because she didn't exactly send Kurogane to another dimension when she sent him to Yuuko," Mokona explained. "She only sent him through time."

"I didn't know that!" Fay exclaimed, amazed. "You can actually do that?!"

"Well..." Tomoyo blushed. "It's not like I do it all the time..."

"So this is how the Dimensional Witch's world was thousands of years ago?"

"Yep!" Mokona said proudly. "That's one of the reasons she knows Tomoyo personally. Ain't it neat?"

"Pretty neat," Fay agreed, grinning. "Help me up, would ya, Kuro-sama?"

"Here." Kurogane offered him his hand and easily pulled the wizard to his feet. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked him.

"Maybe_I_ should be asking _you_ that," he said, tapping the ninja's chest pointedly. "You're full of blood!"

The gaping gash in Kurogane's shoulder and the cut in his neck caused by the ring were quite apparent now that he was standing. "They'll heal," he replied shortly. "So, how're you guys holding up?"

"Apart than Fay-san, we're all perfectly fine," Sakura informed him, frowning slightly at his vague tone. She then rushed forward to embrace Tomoyo warmly. "It's so good to see you again!"

"I'm glad to see you again, too!" she agreed, hugging Sakura tightly. After she had also greeted Mokona and Syaoran, she turned to Fay with a worried crease between her brows. "Are you _sure_ you're all right, Fay-kun?" she asked him anxiously.

"Sakura-chan's exaggerating," Fay chuckled. "I'm as right as rain! Really," he added at their disbelieving looks. "I knew that Kyle-sensei was only trying to weaken me by showing me what I feared the most. I'll have to admit that I was surprised that he showed me exactly what I had been dreading, though, but still, it's not like dreams can hurt you." He flashed another smile, but Tomoyo was not convinced.

"Unless they're magically imposed," she said darkly. "Now bend down so I can make sure you're all right. You're too tall for me to reach you."

"Really, Tomoyo-chan, there's no need—"

"I'll have none of that," she said icily. "Bend down right now."

Grinning in defeat, Fay bent down so Tomoyo could lay her hand upon his forehead. "Hmm..." she mused. "There doesn't seem to be any lasting damage..."

"See? Told you I'm all right."

"But that still doesn't mean that there won't be aftereffects," Tomoyo continued as if she had not heard him. "You might suffer from some sort of mental breakdown if you were seriously traumatized by what you saw. Usually, when mages try to weaken their opponents by forcing them to relieve painful memories or by making them witness the things they fear the most, they become mentally impaired or lose their sanity." She peered at him intently. "Are you sure you don't feel strange?"

"Kuro-puu," Fay whined, "does Tomoyo-chan often ignore you when you're trying to tell her that you're all right? She's convinced that I'm going to crack." He frowned and looked around when he did not receive an answer. "Kuro-sama?"

The others followed his gaze. Kurogane had drifted from their midst sometime during the conversation, and was standing a little way away staring into space, a haunted look in his eyes.

Now that it was all over, everything he had discovered was finally able to sink in. He was still rather confused about what he had discovered, but there were also stunning truths that he was having trouble coming to grips with. Although he loved his parents, and knew that they had done their best in raising him as best they could, he felt an unexplainable anger at never being told that he was not their son. No wonder Kumaso had always loathed him. He probably felt it was a dishonor that his 'son' was not of his bloodline. But still, Kurogane was a grown man, and he had every right to know the truth. He would never be able to forgive them for not telling him. But what of his true heritage? He was a dragon trapped in a human body. A dragon! No wonder he had dragonish traits—even the others had noticed it. It was a part of who he was... _what_ he was. He could not deny that everything made a dread sort of sense now.

"Kurogane?" Tomoyo said questioningly, laying a hand upon his forearm. "What's wrong?"

There was a long moment of uneasy silence. "He... he showed me my past," Kurogane finally said quietly. "My true past."

"Your true past?" Tomoyo asked him, frowning. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean... I mean..." He turned his face away from hers, swallowing hard. He now knew what he had to do. He could not drag her down with him. He had to steel himself for what he was about to do. "I'm... I'm not who you think I am!" he managed to gasp, shuddering.

"Kurogane, what—?"

"No, stay away from me!" he said, firmly disentangling her seeking arms from about him. He turned his back on her, clenching his fists. "Don't ever come near me again!"

Tomoyo froze as if she had been dealt a heavy blow. "What...?" she said weakly.

It hurt. It hurt him so much to cause her this pain. And it caused him just as much pain. "Don't make me repeat myself," he said in a choked voice. His eyes started to burn, and he knew what was coming. "Just forget about me. You have to."

His words cut through her like a knife. "What are you saying?" she asked him in a voice near tears. "Why are you trying to push me away?" Her lower lip trembled. "I thought you loved me."

"I do," Kurogane said as he turned to face her, his voice throbbing with emotion. He thought he would die when he saw the pain reflecting in her eyes.

"Then why are you breaking my heart?" she demanded, drawing a racking sob.

He looked down at her helplessly. He couldn't got through with this and remain in one piece. But he had to. He raised his hand and held her cheek. "Tomoyo, I'm not who you think I am. I'm not who I thought I was." He gritted his teeth and let his hand fall, for these next words would hurt the most. "We can't ever be together," he choked, his voice cracking. Tears welled in his eyes. Not wanting to seem weak, he deliberately looked away from her. "Please, don't make this harder than it already is."

"Kurogane, you're not helping me understand!" she cried, pulling desperately on his sleeve. "Talk to me!"

Kurogane's resolve finally snapped. He jerked his head, refusing to look at her, hot tears splashing down his face. "I'm not human!" he exclaimed, sinking to his knees and gripping at his head. "Leave me the hell alone!"

"But, Kurogane—!"

"No! No matter what you say or how you try to comfort me, I know the truth!" he spat in a bitter tone. He covered his face with his trembling hands. "I have no family! I'm alone!"

"You're not alone!" Tomoyo cried. "You have me!"

"But how can we ever be together? Damn it, Tomoyo, it's not just our social statuses here! If..." He looked up into her eyes. "If we ever..." He shook his head furiously. "You're human, and I'm not. We _can't_ be together." He doubled over, rocking backward and forward, drawing ragged sobs of profound pain and sorrow.

"Look at me."

He stopped rocking, but did not look up.

"I said look at me." Tomoyo placed her hands on his cheeks and turned his head to look at her.

He followed her movements and reluctantly looked into her violet orbs. He blinked hard, his tears still streaming down his face.

"I don't care about you being human or not," she told him in a quavering voice, for tears were also threatening to overcome her. "I fell in love with you for who you are. Not what you are." Her hands traveled over his face, tracing his features. "What happened to the Kurogane I knew and loved?"

He grasped her hands, holding on to them as if his life depended on it. "All I ever knew was a lie," he whispered vehemently. "The Kurogane you knew is no more." He let go of her and stood up abruptly, turning his back on her. "Because he was a lie. He never existed."

"Kurogane!"

Kurogane looked back for a moment over his shoulder at her, and there was revulsion and self-loathing etched in the harsh lines of his face. "I wish things were different. I wish I was normal. Damn it, if only none of this had happened! You don't know how much this hurts—" He suddenly cried out and staggered, falling to his knees.

"Kurogane?!"

Kurogane clutched at his chest in pain. His fist clenched, gripping hard at the shirt's material covering the left part of his chest. He drew a shuddering breath and gasped horribly, screwing his eyes shut. An inarticulate scream escaped from his lips as he fell onto his side, writhing.

Tomoyo took a hurried step forward, but was suddenly held back by an arm that caught her around the waist. _"You cannot do anything for him, Princess Tomoyo."_

Tomoyo looked up at the tall figure that had suddenly appeared and was restraining her. He wore a tattered, dark-colored mantle, and from what she could see from his face, his skin was deathly pale, as were his lips. She frowned in confusion. "Who...?"

"You..." Kurogane managed to gasp weakly from his sprawled position at their feet. "Mage..."

_"It is time, Kurogane,"_ he said, _"for you to undergo the change. And then you will have to make the choice."_

"What change?! What choice?!" Syaoran demanded in alarm. "Kurogane-san, what's this man saying?!"

_"The beginning of reckoning has arrived,"_ the mage continued. _"The moon has reached its zenith in the sky. The time that was nearing has now come."_

Tomoyo stepped back from the mage in fear and shook her head. He was not moving his mouth when he spoke, and she could feel a sort of chill aura surrounding his form. "I don't understand..."

_"You will understand soon enough, Princess. The time has come for him to face his Destiny."_ He raised his arm high above his head, palm upward. _"Embrace your true form!"_ he cried in ringing tones. _"Become who you were destined to be!"_

Kurogane's eyes snapped open. They were now totally crimson, the whites of the eyes no longer existent, and his pupils had become pitch-black and vertical. A river of fire suddenly coursed through his veins and scalded his throat. His uneasy breaths grew stronger and raspier. A black metallic-looking scale grew over his face and his arms and legs, thin and brittle-looking.

"What the...?" Syaoran gasped inaudibly.

But it did not end there. Kurogane's face suddenly started growing. It sprouted into a muzzle over three feet long, and it continued to grow. His nostrils widened, his eyes were forced apart and slid over to where his temples should have been, but still, he continued to change.

Kurogane's canine teeth, which were longer-than-average to begin with, started growing longer, as did the rest of his teeth. Soon, his jaws were full of rows upon rows of large and sharp carnivorous teeth. Two silvery whiskers elongated about his nostrils, and two large silver-hued horns protruded suddenly from the top of his head. His head became wedge-shaped, his hair disappeared wholly, and he was covered by a wave of dark, black scales. But the worst was yet to come.

His limbs grew longer and stronger, ripping up his clothes. His arms and legs retained their muscles, but became more bunched, and the thin scales covering him thickened noticeably. His hands and feet melted and remolded themselves into claws, with shiny talons, like burnished steel. His knees suddenly reversed direction with a horrible and sickening grinding sound. Stretching behind him came a scaly sinuous twisting tail. Upon the top of his head, just between his horns and along his back down to the tip of his tail, grew a silvery spinal ridge.

While undergoing this change, he had steadily grown larger and larger, until now, his body measured to about thirty feet in length. And then, from between his shoulders, tearing away the last of the tattered garments still clinging to him, great bat-like wings began to sprout. They were silver-black, leathery, and immense.

Now, he had become a full dragon. His eyes fell upon his companions. They were a blazing red and they flickered and glinted, and it seemed as if a fire burned in them. He extended his claws before himself, as if examining his new form. He suddenly threw back his head and a gout of flame burst forth.

Sakura was clutching Syaoran's arm so hard that he could not feel it anymore. He looked up at the immense creature with something akin to horror. Mokona remained rooted to the spot, gaping at the dragon. Fay's face was chalk-white in astonishment and fear.

The dragon—Kurogane—looked down upon them, his expression unreadable. He shrieked shrilly, throwing back his head and shaking it, as if in a furious rage. He spread his silver wings to their fullest extent and bared his fangs, his black wing claws managing to easily touch the walls around him. He gave off another enraged cry, smoke pouring from his gaping muzzle. Turning from them, he stumbled to the balcony and leapt from it, coasting down on untried wings.

"Kurogane!" Tomoyo exclaimed as she dashed after him, her tears trailing behind her.

As one, they all rushed after her to the balcony to see where Kurogane had gone. He seemed to fall for a moment, then, with powerful thrusts of his leathery wings, he pushed himself up higher and higher into the air, and soon, he had disappeared into the night.

Tomoyo gripped at the railing, her tears streaming down her face and her expression one of despair. "I've lost him!" she gasped through her sobs, finally losing the last of her resolve as she fell to her knees. She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. "He's gone!"

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** The climax finally came and passed. This was an idea that came to me a long time ago and was one of the motivations to actually write this story. We see Kurogane associated with dragons often: his kudan was a dragon, he uses dragon-based special techniques, his treasured silver katana is named Ginryuu... It fit for me to make out that he's a dragon in human form, you know? (And no, that doesn't mean he's a hybrid. Explanations next chapter.)

I know from Greek mythology that sometimes, gods mated with mortals by taking on different forms (other than human forms, I mean). Zeus, for one (he was the king of the gods, and a very busy guy). He mated with Europa as an eagle, another time with Danae as golden rain, and also with Lydia in the form of a swan (don't ask me how he managed it; it's fiction, so anything's possible). The point is, whenever Greek gods mated with mortals, the children born would be out of the ordinary (special, special!). Danae gave birth to Perseus, a great hero, Europa gave birth to three sons (two became kings, and one became a wise and revered lawmaker), and Lydia gave birth to two heroes, who became Argonauts. And of course, we all know Hercules, son of Zeus, who was a demigod. (No, Kurogane's not a demigod! That would be way too extreme!)

So it seemed appropriate for me to say that Ryuujin, god of the dragons, did likewise with Kurogane's mother. Okay, now that I'm reading this explanation again, it sounds weird. When I told my dad this idea so I could hear a second opinion, he goes, "Oh, then Kurogane's mom cheated on his dad." She didn't cheat on him! How was she supposed to know that being shed in silver light would get her pregnant? And technically, she didn't sleep with anybody... nyeh, this explanation sucks, right? _—slaps forehead—_ Thought so. Oh, well.

Oh, and just for the record, no, the baddies wouldn't just sit still for the goodies to yap about what they should do, which is why this chapter might have come off as rushed. 'Twas purely intentional because real life ain't a fairytale, y'know. (Okay, why am I talking like I've just come out of a western?) Um... isn't it kind of like the time Zero (the male ones) weren't giving Soubi any time to react and fight back in _Loveless_? XDDDD Yes, I like Loveless, so sue me!

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	18. Broken

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 18 — Broken**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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It was over. It was all over.

Syaoran wearily raised his head and looked around. His mind was stubbornly telling him that the place should be wrung with chaos in the light of all that had happened, and he was astonished to only find a burnt-out hole in a tapestry hanging on a battered wall and a few scorch-marks here and there on the floor. Sheathing his sword, he restlessly got to his feet. He had to move, to be active, to keep his mind preoccupied. If he remained immobile he would surely go mad with the inability to cope with what had just happened. His gaze traveled as he wandered around the vast chamber, and his throat involuntarily tightened when his eyes fell upon the tattered remnants of Kurogane's garments. He tore his gaze away and looked back over his shoulder.

Tomoyo was weeping uncontrollably, clinging desperately to Sakura, who was trying to calm her down with whispers of reassurance and comfort. She exchanged a worried look with Fay and the blond wizard nodded, indicating that she should continue trying to console the sobbing Tomoyo. Fay then looked up and locked eyes with Syaoran. He looked terribly shaken, his shock beyond words, and Syaoran understood that he was probably trying not to think back on what had happened, just like him.

_"It seems almost pointless to express my sincere apologies at the pain you are all experiencing,"_ the mage told Syaoran solemnly, standing a little way away from him.

Syaoran's head snapped around and he stared at the tall figure incredulously. "Pain?" he scoffed bitterly. "No..." he whispered, swallowing hard. "Pain is nothing compared to this... feeling. What we're experiencing is _not_ pain. What we're experiencing can't be put into words." He extended his arm and pointed a trembling finger at the balcony. "What Tomoyo-hime is experiencing is _beyond_ pain!"

_"Do you think that I do not already know?"_ the mage asked him quietly.

"Then why did you do it?! Why did you do what you did to Kurogane-san?!" Syaoran demanded heatedly. He had honestly been trying to keep his anger in check, but the pressure was too much for him to bear and all of his emotions suddenly burst to the fore. "He didn't deserve it! He's been through hell and worse to come back to his home-country! He sacrificed four damn years of his life to a cause that shouldn't have mattered to him in the slightest, and yet, he _still_ wanted to help us! And just when it was finally all over for him and he could finally be left in peace with Tomoyo-hime, _you_ come out of nowhere and turn his whole world upside-down!"

_"I had nothing to do with it,"_ the mage explained calmly, as if Syaoran had not just lost his composure. _"It had been foreordained that he would regain his true form when he came of age upon the full moon of this very night."_

"What are you talking about?!" he demanded furiously, breathing heavily.

The mage did not reply. Instead, he turned to the balcony without another word and approached the others, his steps silent and his cloak swirling in the light breeze. Syaoran followed after a moment's hesitation.

Fay got to his feet warily as soon as the cloaked man was standing before them. "I suppose you're that mage he told us about, right?" he asked him in a neutral tone, his eyes calculating him carefully.

_"You were always quite perceptive, Fay,"_ the mage smiled.

Fay did not return the smile. It was apparent that he was just as angry as Syaoran—perhaps even more so—but unlike the adolescent, he could control his emotions when he had to. He crossed his arms and slanted a politely curious eyebrow. "You're giving me the impression that you know more than you're letting on," he said bluntly.

_"Perhaps,"_ he replied evasively. _"But I'll let you be the judge of that." _He looked down at Sakura. _"How is she?"_ he asked her, referring to Tomoyo, and Syaoran was momentarily stunned to hear that his voice sounded concerned.

"How do you expect her to be after what you did?!" Sakura demanded in a tone that registered open hostility. Just like the others, she was confused and angry, and she wasn't afraid to show it. "She's devastated!"

_"I can understand how you feel,"_ the mage said, smoothing the front of his mantle, _"but if you wish to help Kurogane, you must be willing to listen to me."_ He looked up at Fay and Syaoran. _"I will tell you all that you wish to know. But please, hear me out before you condemn me. That is all I ask of you."_

Fay and Syaoran exchanged dubious looks, as if asking the other his opinion on what would be the best course to follow. A long silence followed, broken only by Tomoyo's weak sobs of grief.

"I think we should hear what this mage has to say before we make any decisions," Fay finally decided. "It might do more harm than good if we act rashly without thinking things through first."

_"You are ever-cautious, despite your seemingly frivolous nature,"_ the mage approved with a small nod.

"Provided you answer our questions truthfully," Fay added, his eyes narrowing. "And believe me"—his eyes flitted momentarily to Sakura's face—"we'll be able to tell if you're lying or not."

The mage spread his hands._ "Ask away," _he smiled confidently, as if inviting them to share all of their troubles and concerns with him.

"Who are you?" Syaoran asked suspiciously. "And what do you have to do with Kurogane-san?"

The mage bowed his head. _"Are you sure you really want to know my true identity?"_ he said, his whole bearing suddenly rigid, tense, as if he were an uncoiled snake preparing to lash out and strike at them.

"Yes," Syaoran said firmly after a moment's hesitation.

_"Very well."_ The mage raised his hand and threw back his hood.

His skin was deathly pale, a shade almost as white as snow. His facial features were unearthly and beautiful, as if much better fined compared to mere mortals. His hair was long, drawn back, and black, as were his eyes, which gleamed like two black coals in the moonlight. He also had a band of silver around his forehead, embedded with a silver crescent moon. "My name," he said, now speaking properly with his mouth, "is Tsukuyomi No Mikoto."

There was a sharp intake of breath and Tomoyo raised her head, covering her mouth with her hand in astonishment. "What?" she croaked hoarsely. She was a sorry sight to behold. Her eyes were red from crying, her once-pale cheeks were blotched and tear-stained, and her eyes were still brimming with unshed tears. "But how...?"

"Do not jump to conclusions, Tomoyo-hime," Tsukuyomi said quickly before she could phrase her question. "I find it very flattering that you think of me as a god, but please, no embellishments are needed. Mythology has already laid an exaggerated emphasis on my various exploits throughout the centuries, and I do not need godhood to be one of them."

"Wait a minute," Tomoyo protested, dashing her tears away and holding up a trembling forefinger. "What exactly are you trying to say?" She quickly got to her feet, her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowing dangerously. "You came here all of a sudden, did what you did to Kurogane"—her voice broke, but she drew another breath and plodded on—"and now you tell us that you're the god I've been serving my whole life, but then you turn it around and say that you aren't? Who do you think you are to say such things?!"

"Tomoyo-chan," Fay said quietly, laying a hand on her shoulder warningly, "maybe you should calm down—"

"Stop it, Fay-kun!" Tomoyo said angrily, shrugging his hand away. "I'm through with being patient and understanding! I want answers and I want them now!"

Fay looked taken aback by her exclamation of protest, and slightly hurt.

Tomoyo's lower lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears again. "I'm sorry," she whispered meekly. She covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry, I just..." She wiped at her tears furiously. "Why?" she choked. "Why did he...?" She drew a shuddering gasp, her tears rolling down her cheeks. "It's no use." She looked up at them helplessly. "It's over. Everything's over." Her shoulders began to tremble and she fell into Fay's arms, burying her face in his chest. "I'll never see him again!" she wailed, clinging to him desperately. "I shouldn't have let him go!" She wept long and hard for a lost love, a lost love her heart yearned to be united with once more.

Fay sighed and gently stroked her hair. "Don't worry, Tomoyo-chan. We'll find a way to bring him back," he assured her. "Everything's going to be all right. Don't worry."

Syaoran nodded in agreement and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "We'll definitely bring him back," he promised.

Sakura bit on her lower lip and looked up at the mage. "We _can_ bring Kurogane-san back to normal... can't we?" she asked timidly, as if dreading his answer.

"You can certainly try," Tsukuyomi offered, "but most of it will depend on him."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Kurogane will have to accomplish what he is destined to do in seven days... or else he will remain in his dragon form."

"What do you mean 'dragon form'?" Syaoran interjected. "How is it that Kurogane-san changed into a dragon, anyway? And what's he destined to do?"

"And what was all that stuff he was saying before about not being human?" Mokona piped up from his perch on Sakura's shoulder.

"And if you're not a god, then what _are_ you?" Fay asked. "You're too powerful to be a simple mage."

"I will answer all of your questions in due time," Tsukuyomi said, holding up one hand, "but please, I cannot answer all of you at once. First of all, I believe it will be easier if I begin from the start." He regarded them seriously with his piercing gaze. "Are you willing to listen to me?"

It was Tomoyo who answered. She wiped away her tears and turned to face the tall being. "I'll do anything to bring him back," she said strongly. Her eyes burned with a flaming determination.

"So be it," Tsukuyomi said, joining his hands together. He did not speak for some time. "I suppose I should start with who I am," he decided. "Who the 'gods' are."

"But what does that have to do with Kurogane-san?" Syaoran asked him, curious despite himself.

"It has everything to do with him," he replied. "In ancient times, it was possible for those who studied arcane magic to become 'immortal' in a way. That did not necessarily mean that they would live forever, however," he added. "It simply meant that they would live for an exceptionally long time." He paused for a moment, his eyes looking at each of them in turn, finally resting upon Fay. "A number of magic-wielders of ancient times achieved this longevity. And I was one of them," Tsukuyomi added with a small smile. "We soon realized what had happened after a time when we did not age when we were supposed to, and so, we decided to use our powers for the good of mankind. In those times, man did not have the comforts he had today. There were no medicines, the land was being bled dry by the mindless squandering of its life-force, and there was no one who held even a semblance of authority to turn to... And so, Amaterasu and I helped the people of this part of the world, aided by our inferiors, to regain strength and flourish. Simple people saw us as saviors. And as simple people do, they elevated us all to godhood."

"Amaterasu...?" Sakura repeated. "Like in the myth with the Towers?"

"Amaterasu and I are indeed siblings," Tsukuyomi confirmed, "just like the myth says. And it _is_ true that we are of somewhat different opinions. I did something to irritate her and she took it to extremes, that's all." He chuckled. "Very spirited, but as we are complete opposites, it is to be expected."

"So you _are_ the lunar divinity. And she's the solar divinity, isn't she?"

"In a way," he smiled. "The Two Towers were built by our 'followers' as an exchange for all that we did for them. As Amaterasu aided them more on a practical basis than on an intellectual basis like myself, helping them grow their crops and prevent famine, they associated her with the sun."

"Because the sun symbolizes growth?" Syaoran guessed.

Tsukuyomi nodded in approval. "However," he continued, "I believe that I have said enough about myself, as I am irrelevant to what is of true importance in our discussion." He paused for a moment, as if wondering how he should phrase his next words. "There are not only humans who have achieved 'godhood' like me," he continued. "There is also one named Ryuujin. Yes," he inclined his head at their stunned looks, "a dragon. He has also mastered the arts of arcane magic, and is counted as a god among his kind."

"So, let me get this straight," Fay said, a puzzled furrow between his brows. "None of you are gods, right? You're all just mages who have managed to defy time?"

"Precisely."

Tomoyo was frowning darkly. "I don't understand," she muttered. "I _can't_ understand." She looked up at him accusingly. "You're basically asking me to re-evaluate my faith. To give up what I believe in. What my people believe in." She drew a deep breath and shook her head weakly. "I don't think I can do that."

"I did not tell you all this to make you doubt yourself, Tomoyo-hime," he said sternly. "People need something to believe in. If you were to tell them the truth, they would be inclined to act, but they would act rashly, without thinking of the consequences their actions might have on both themselves and the land we strived to save. It is not right to shatter their dreams."

"But that's what you did to me," she shot back savagely, her lower lip trembling. "You shattered _my_ dreams. Dreams I had been hoping beyond hope would come true once Kurogane and I learned of the love we felt for each other. And now..."

"That was... not meant to happen, Tomoyo-hime," Tsukuyomi said heavily. "Kurogane was not meant to fall in love. He has a task that he has to perform and he must not fail. Because of his love for you, I am not sure if he will accomplish it..."

"What task? What's so important that he was trying to... to push me away?" she demanded, trying her hardest not to start crying again.

"He does not know it yet, but he is the one destined to close the gap that exists between humans and dragons."

"You aren't making any sense!"

"Actually..." Fay said slowly. "...he _is_. Kurogane's told us himself that there's some sort of enmity between humans and dragons because humans turned on them years ago and started hunting them down."

"It was due to an unfortunate event that happened centuries ago," Tsukuyomi confirmed in a bleak tone. "Dragons are peaceful creatures, and cause no harm to anyone who does not openly provoke them. They are magnificent beings remarkably long-lived, able to live over a millennium at times. When one of their kind dies, they leave the body to be reclaimed by nature." He shook his head sadly. "It so happened that a man had been traveling in the same vicinity a few days after one such occurrence, and upon seeing the mighty dragon's carcass, he decided to take advantage of it."

"What did he do?" Mokona asked.

"The man worked long and hard, for many days and nights on end, to peel off the dragon's tough and scaly hide bit by bit to create an armor that would be harder than steel. When others saw him with this armor, he told a great lie about the fierceness of the dragon, claiming that she had attacked him while he was traveling, and that he had battled with her to the death. And since most of the hearts of humans are vengeful to begin with, so began the pointless blood feud that still has no end."

"So humans began to attack dragons," Syaoran said darkly, crossing his arms over his chest. "And the dragons had no choice but to fight back."

"How horrible," Sakura whispered. "How could he have told such a lie? Didn't he feel guilty because of it?"

"Alas, humans are subject to both good and evil, and the latter of the lot feel no remorse for the crimes they commit," Tsukuyomi said bitterly.

"And seeing how fierce dragons could be in battle, humans had no reason to disbelieve the man's words, I suppose?" Fay said wryly.

"But it's against the law to hunt down dragons," Tomoyo protested. "It can't still be happening, can it?"

"I'm afraid that doesn't discourage the most aggressive of the lot," Tsukuyomi said sadly. "Man's hatred goes deep, and because humans despise dragonkind, the last remaining hunters are relentless in their pursuit."

"My father made that law!" Tomoyo said indignantly. "He was one of the first to realize that it was a pointless war that would have no end!"

"But he could not be everywhere at once, could he?" Tsukuyomi said softly. "Families who had lost husbands and sons to that cause could not simply give up a lifetime's struggle for nothing."

Tomoyo lowered her eyes and exhaled in exasperation. She could find nothing to argue about that. "But why Kurogane?" she demanded. "Why was he 'chosen' to do this? Why him and not someone else?"

"Because it is in his blood. It is a part of who he is." Tsukuyomi looked at their uncomprehending expressions. "He is the son of Ryuujin," he explained. "Dragon is what he is. _Who_ he is. He is as much dragon as he is human."

"Wait a minute..." Syaoran said slowly. "Are you saying that Kurogane-san's father is a _dragon_?!"

"Yes. His mother, a noblewoman named Yukiko Midori, conceived him when Ryuujin bathed her in the silver light of the moon. Kumaso and Aya Ito simply raised him as their own when I left him as a baby at their door."

"So you told Kurogane-san's parents that he's part-dragon?" Sakura said in surprise.

"You are wrong on both counts. I did not reveal myself to them, as I had disguised myself as a simple soothsayer at the time, therefore they have no knowledge of his true heritage. And Kurogane is not part-dragon. He is a dragon born as a human."

"So he's neither half-dragon nor half-human. He's a dragon in the form of a human," Fay mused. "So I guess he's not what's referred to as a hybrid, then."

"The concept is a little complicated, but in simple words, yes, that is the case."

"And he has to somehow make peace between humans and dragons again?"

"Yes. But because of the way he discovered the truth, I am afraid he has not accepted who he is and will not be able to do what is expected of him. There are too many things that shouldn't have happened to him..."

"You're... you're making it sound as if he's doomed to fail," Tomoyo said faintly.

"Because I am afraid that he will," Tsukuyomi confessed. "Ever since we had been accepted as gods, we had agreed not to interfere directly with mankind. But... the recent blood feud gave us no other choice. We had to do something. So, instead of setting things right ourselves, we decided that to create someone who would be both human and dragon would be the wiser course to follow. Kurogane has gained experience by living as a human for thirty years, and he will hopefully be able to convince the other dragons that not all humans are as evil as they think. Already, he has achieved this by befriending a few of them in his human form. Hopefully, as a dragon, more of them will be more inclined to hear him out."

Tomoyo said nothing for a time, her eyes deep in speculation and the line of her mouth drawn. "So... we have to help him somehow in his task?"

"No," Tsukuyomi said. "He must do it on his own. What you have to do is find him once he completes it, for he will be in danger of losing himself."

"What?" Tomoyo said in alarm.

"He will soon cease to think and act like a human, and become a full dragon once seven days have passed. And I am afraid that such an occurrence will not be for the better."

"What do you mean...?"

"Living as a dragon, he will begin to forget how he lived as a human, which is why he has a limited time to convince them. For..." For a moment, Tsukuyomi's mask of calm serenity faded, and another emotion flitted across his face. Dread? "...we did not intend for him to become human again."

"What?!" Syaoran exclaimed.

"That can't be!" Sakura gasped.

"Then there's no way to change him back?!" Fay demanded.

"So he'll stay a dragon forever?!" Mokona squeaked.

They had all spoken simultaneously, but Tomoyo was the only one who did not react vocally. Her complexion paled, and her eyes widened in horror. She could only stare at Tsukuyomi with her mouth hanging open in a silent scream.

He looked back at her, his eyes mirroring something akin to worry. "I fear that it will not be easy," he warned them in answer to Fay's question.

"But it's possible, isn't it?" Syaoran asked in a weak voice.

"Isn't it?" Sakura repeated, looking up at him imploringly in hopes of confirmation.

Tsukuyomi shook his head. "Alas, I do not know for sure. This was something we did not foresee."

Tomoyo closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. "That won't stop me from trying," she whispered determinedly. "As I said, I'll do anything to bring him back." Her violet eyes spoke volumes. "And I mean it."

"I hope, for your sake, that he will make it." A slow and mysterious smile crept upon Tsukuyomi's face. "Although none of us intended for him to fall in love, at least I, for one, believe that it is actually for the better. He is a better person because of you. And I am certain that you will agree with me when I tell you that a love that risks nothing is worth nothing."

Tomoyo nodded. "I understand." Though her expression was set, her voice wavered slightly.

Tsukuyomi raised one hand in farewell, and, with an enigmatic smile upon his lips, he dissolved into nothingness, disappearing without a trace.

———————————————

After flying along for hours on end, thrusting his huge bulk onward with sure and strong strokes, Kurogane finally spread his massive bat-like wings and began his descent, too exhausted to carry on flying without any apparent sense of direction. He settled down in a sheltered clearing with a small pool, which was surrounded by a dense forest of large fir trees, his landing far from graceful as he tripped on one of his forelegs and stumbled face-first into the ground. The earth rumbled with his fall, but he made no move to pick himself up. What was the use? He wouldn't even know where to start. He didn't even care. Everything was over.

He wanted to scream and rage at the sky. Who did the gods think they were, manipulating him in such a wretched fashion? Did they simply act as they pleased, with no regard for his feelings? Why were they making him suffer? Did he not have any rights? Kurogane snorted in disgust. Of course not. He was simply a pawn in their eyes, a creature the gods created to suit their sick purposes. What rights could he possibly have?

As his anger and frustration ebbed away, anguish and despair came to replace them. He wanted to raise his head and howl out his misery to the unkind world. The pain he felt was unbearable, a pain that gnawed at his insides and left him broken and defeated. He so yearned for everything to return to how they used to be, long before being forced to endure such a cruel ordeal. He wanted to go back to who he was. Not to the merciless killer, but to the humbled man he had been that night when he had confessed his love to Tomoyo...

Gods, he had treated her horribly. He had pushed her away from him without even giving her a proper explanation for his absurd behavior. He had hurt her, and hurt her deeply. All she had been trying to do was understand his feelings, and he had savagely forced her away from him. He felt disgusted with himself. There was no way he could justify his actions, not when he had seen the pain in her eyes... the pain that he had caused. What could she possibly think of him now?

_A monster_, a small voice in the back of his mind told him gloomily. _Not only because I look the part, but because I acted the part, too_.

Kurogane no longer doubted that Tomoyo surely hated him for what he did to her... and for what he turned out to be. Indeed, he felt that not even his friends, who had been so supportive of him beforehand—even when they had found out about his previous killing-obsession—would care much for him in his present state. What hope could he possibly have of being human again? He didn't even know how he turned into a dragon in the first place.

He was not someone to break down and cry, even though he had shed more tears in the last two days than he had over the last ten years of his life, but after all that had happened to him—the most still being incomprehensible to his befuddled senses—no one would blame him. He longed for this all to be a horrid nightmare that he would soon wake from, simultaneously cursing the weakness of his heart. He picked his massive form up from the ground, and, raising his head, shrieked in tormented agony, his tears surprisingly large and hot as they splashed down upon the ground around him. He longed for release, to be rid of this serpentine form he had been adorned with, to tear away the scaly, unfamiliar flesh confining his body. A powerful dragon crying his eyes out under the full moon is an astonishing sight and sound to behold, beyond human imagination.

At last, too tired to do anything else, Kurogane dragged himself to the edge of the pool and took a long drink. He hadn't even realized how thirsty he was. Then, his eyes unwittingly fell upon his reflection in the water. His reptilian visage met his blood-red gaze, and he choked back another cry of misery.

It was pointless to long for release, for he knew that it would never come. He was now a dragon, and a dragon he would remain forevermore. He was permanently cut off from the whole human race. To hope and long for otherwise was futile. After all, he reflected sardonically, sooner or later he would have had to embrace his father's side of the family. This thought was enough for another storm of tears to surface, but he refused to give into that weakness again.

So he was the son of Ryuujin? He had only heard about him a couple of times in his life, hardly enough times to call himself an expert. From what he could recall, Ryuujin was one of the numerous gods that existed, but the only one who did not appear in the form of a human. He was a dragon, reputed to live in an underwater palace made of coral in the depths of the ocean. At least, that was what Kurogane knew from myths and legends. Later on, he had eventually asked Evenstar about it, and she had only told him that as humankind honored and worshipped deities, so did dragonkind. She has left it unsaid that the dragons considered Ryuujin as their god.

Contemplating this, a number of startling possibilities suddenly became as clear as glass. His father was a god! He was not simply a dragon, but... a god! Then... what did that make _him_? He swallowed with some difficulty. He wasn't sure if he could cope with this new revelation. His life had changed so drastically in less than a day that to try his luck with more information might—or rather, would certainly—do more harm than good.

Kurogane's musings were suddenly interrupted by a faint noise on the wind, and a dark shadow passed overhead, momentarily obscuring the moon. He lifted his head cautiously, flexing his claws instinctively. The large shape overhead spread its wings, and the creature flared and touched down gently on the ground before him.

It was a dragon, but not just any dragon. Keen green eyes peered intently at Kurogane in the darkness, and it took a moment for him to recognize them.

"Firebolt!" he gasped in surprise. "I... uh..." He paused for a moment, struggling to express himself formally. "I find myself in shock at thy unexpected arrival..."

The female dragon made a peculiar noise, something between a snort of laughter and exasperation. "Don't try to speak formerly, Blacksteel," she said critically. "You're terrible at it."

Kurogane didn't bother asking how she recognized him. He supposed it had something to do with their keen sense of smell. At least he _thought_ that must be the reason. His brow knitted. "I thought all dragons were supposed to talk formally... at least to each other," he said lamely.

Firebolt giggled. "Only if you're the puffed-up and self-important type. Or simply old."

Kurogane felt rather confused. Maybe he really didn't know as much about dragons as he thought he did.

"So..." Firebolt grinned at him smugly. "Finished feeling sorry for yourself?"

"What're you talking about?" he said quickly.

"Oh, please, I could hear you wailing for miles around. Why else do you think I came?"

Kurogane's jaw dropped open. If he had known that he would be alerting any dragons in the vicinity to his presence he would have never broken down and cried as he did in the first place.

"I guess it's going to take some getting used to, isn't it?" she conceded sympathetically.

Kurogane lowered his gaze. "...I don't think so," he said, more to himself than to Firebolt. "Everything happened so fast that I didn't even know what hit me when it did, and then, next thing I know, I'm a dragon." He looked at her helplessly. "Everything's still so new to me..."

"Are you trying to say that... that you don't know _why_ this happened to you?!" she demanded incredulously.

"Well, I know that it has something to do with Ryuujin..." He forced a weak laugh, more to convince himself than Firebolt, that he wasn't delusional with what he was suggesting. "Considering that he's my father, he must've had some reason or other for this to happen to me, right?" He cursed himself silently for his wishful thinking. Who was he kidding? As if someone in his position would ever concern himself with the likes of him.

Firebolt's mouth was half-open in surprise. "Are you telling me that he didn't tell you what you have to do?!" she exclaimed.

Kurogane was slightly taken aback at her reaction. "Tell me what?" he said blankly.

"Ryuujin was supposed to tell you about your true heritage! And then he was supposed to prepare you for your task!"

"Well, obviously, I'm not that important to him since he didn't bother to fill me in," Kurogane said dryly, his voice dripping with irony.

"That's impossible," Firebolt snapped, frowning. "Something's gone terribly wrong..."

Kurogane could not help but feel more than a little apprehensive at her worry. He had never seen her look so distressed before. A terrible thought suddenly occurred to him at that moment. "Am I... a mistake?" he said quietly.

Firebolt shook her head and tried to smile. "No, Blacksteel. You're far from being a mistake. You're the hope of all dragonkind."

Now _that_ was a surprise. "What do you mean by that?"

Firebolt sighed. "The truth is, I don't think I'm the right person to tell you. We were all forbidden to mention anything that would make you stray from your path..."

Stray from his path? Was this 'task' he was supposedly assigned to accomplish of such vital importance?

"...and now that you haven't been properly informed..." She left it hanging, slowly swishing her tail in thought. "I'm a lesser dragon," she said frankly. "I'm simply a member of the head family of the Fire Clan. I have no power in the Dragon Council, therefore I can't be of any use to you if it comes down to a trial. However... I think I'm going to have to try to convince Goldenridge and Silverthorn to call a meeting. It'll be the best way to reach a proper decision diplomatically."

"Silverthorn?" Kurogane said in surprise. "Are you telling me that Silverthorn is... the Silver Dragon?!"

"Yeah," Firebolt shrugged. "So? What...? You didn't know?"

"No!" he said indignantly. "I thought he was just an air dragon..."

"He was, until he was elected as the Silver Dragon seven hundred years ago. The Silver Dragon and the Golden Dragon aren't born into the roles they eventually assume. They're chosen when the previous one is near death. Though there's talk that Silverthorn hasn't chosen his successor, and time's running out on him."

Kurogane exhaled irritably, and he jumped back in surprise when flames jutted out of his nostrils. How would he ever get used to being a dragon?

Firebolt's eyes lit up excitedly. "Oh, wow! You're a fire dragon!" She grinned at him. "I knew you had it in you! That's so cool!"

"Er..." He wasn't quite sure what to say to Firebolt's sudden burst of enthusiasm. "I guess..."

"Well, let's get cracking!" She extended her wings to their fullest extent. "Come on, I'll take you to the others."

Kurogane froze. "The others? What others?"

Firebolt gave him a withering look of superiority. "Why, the other dragons, of course."

———————————————

Sakura delicately balanced the incandescent sphere containing her feather between her hands. It glowed with a pale pink light, which shone upon her face eerily.

"Go ahead," Syaoran said. "Take the feather."

"I'm not sure if I should," she admitted. "At least not yet."

It was a crisp and chill morning. They had spent the rest of the night in the Tower, as it had provided them with sufficient shelter from the bitter winter cold, and although they had unanimously agreed that they would get up at dawn to start... that was the problem. They didn't even know where to start looking for Kurogane. Sakura, Syaoran, Fay, and Mokona were determined not to move on to the next world without first helping their friend. They wouldn't have been able to live with themselves afterward if they did otherwise.

"You don't want to sleep on us once you absorb the feather, do you?" Fay guessed, retrieving his mount from the tree where they had been tethered the previous night.

"It's not only that," she confessed, flushing slightly. "I was thinking... maybe we could use it."

"Use it?" Syaoran asked, perplexed. "Use it for what?"

"Well... I was thinking about all of those times my feather was used by other people so they could achieve their ends..." She looked up at them nervously. "I was thinking that we could probably do the same thing... we could use my feather to bring Kurogane-san back to normal!"

Fay's eyes widened in surprise. "Of course..." he said softly. "With the enormous quantities of magic stored inside of each memory fragment, the concentrated energy _should_ be enough to restore him to himself! Sakura-chan, you're brilliant!"

"You really think it'll work?" Sakura asked hopefully.

"I think so!"

"I don't like the sound of that 'should'," Syaoran said bluntly. "It gives me the impression that it's not a fully reliable means of bringing him back."

"Well, there _are_ risks," Fay admitted carefully. "There's a danger of too much power being released—"

"Which will result in his death," Tomoyo interjected as she stepped down from where she had been standing in the entrance, her voice cold. She was holding Souhi—Kurogane's sword—in her arms, cradling it to her chest, perhaps even without realizing it. "And I'm not willing to risk his life in such an experiment!" She lifted her chin up defiantly, eyeing them with narrowed and determined eyes.

Fay frowned and chewed on his lower lip, a first, as far as they could tell. It was an obvious sign that he was quite agitated. "But what if it's the only way? You heard the mage. He won't turn back without our help."

"But what if our help kills him?" she demanded in a trembling voice. "What if he dies because of us?" She gasped and wiped furiously at rapidly forming tears. "It's bad enough that he's turned into a dragon... but if... if..."

"It's all right," Syaoran whispered, laying a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it reassuringly. "We'll find another way to bring him back. I'm sure of it."

His words conveyed total confidence, for which Tomoyo was grateful, but despite his reassurance, it was not enough to still her uneasy heart. Her lower lip quivered and the tears came unbidden once more. _No_, she thought furiously, _no, I'm not going to break down and cry again. I have to be strong_. She drew a deep breath and shot a cursory glance at the horses.

"Do you know how to ride a horse, Tomoyo-chan?" Fay asked as he adjusted the straps to one of the mounts, a beautiful black horse that seemed impatient and eager to get a move-on.

She nodded mutely and Fay handed her the reins of the horse. She reached up and smoothed its neck reassuringly. The horse nickered softly, then lowered its head and gently nudged her shoulder.

She smiled faintly, then hoisted herself up into the saddle. It was unusually stiff and of a peculiar style she was not used to, but she soon managed to find a somewhat comfortable position. She looked over at the packs strapped to the horse. "What's in these packs?" she asked. "Provisions?"

Sakura and Syaoran exchanged somewhat nervous glances before turning to Fay.

Fay hesitated slightly before answering. "My horse is carrying the provisions. I'm not sure what's in those packs. They're... _his_ things."

"Oh..." Tomoyo did not say anything else. Her heartbeat wavered slightly, and her grip on his sword tightened. He had been sitting in this very saddle yesterday. Only yesterday! She thought she could still discern his familiar scent about the animal as she traced trembling fingertips along the edge of the harness. However, instead of causing her to burst into tears again as she had been expecting, she felt soothed at his unmistakable lingering presence. _I can get through this_, she told herself confidently. _I have to be strong._

_For Kurogane._

———————————————

Kurogane followed Firebolt's lead as they flew side by side, the sun having long since risen. He observed the minuscule adjustments her wing muscles made to prevent them from tiring too much from the strain of flying all night long, and he tried to mimic her. He didn't think he was getting the hang of it, but she assured him that it would come naturally to him the more often he flew. Kurogane wasn't exactly sure if he wanted to get so accustomed to flying. Unlike Firebolt, he was positive that he wasn't flying material.

"Relax," she advised him from her position a little way to his right, several feet above him. "Let the thermals guide you."

"The what?" he said blankly.

"The warm gusts of air pushing up beneath our wings," she explained. "By using the various air currents to our advantage, we don't tire ourselves out so easily when we fly long distances."

"And how do I use them?"

"Just relax and let your instincts guide you. It all comes naturally."

_Easy for you to say_, he thought indignantly. Nevertheless, he followed her advice. He ceased to flap his wings and held them still, gliding along in the air. And then, he felt it. A warm bubble of air rose up beneath him and he was lifted up effortlessly higher and higher into the air. "Now _that_ was something," he said in surprise.

"Want to try a dive? It's amazing," Firebolt said, grinning eagerly.

Kurogane wasn't exactly sure that he wanted to try a dive so early in his flying career, but he didn't usually turn down a challenge. He pulled his dragonish lips back in a smirk. "Okay."

"Follow me." Firebolt bent her wings back and plummeted toward the ground with the air streaming past her.

Kurogane tucked his own wings back and followed after her. The ground was rushing up to meet him as he hurtled toward it, the air whooshing up past him as he continued to descend, all the time going faster and faster and faster. It was a terrifying experience, and yet, strangely exhilarating. He could feel his stomach tightening simultaneously with excitement and dread as the ground kept coming closer and closer. It was the most wonderful sensation ever!

A burst of fire shot out from Firebolt's mouth as she gave a dragon's cry of sheer pleasure, and just when Kurogane feared that she would soon meet the ground, she opened her wings slightly, and then she was heading upward again.

Kurogane spread his wings in a similar fashion, pulling up out of the dive, straining every muscle as he opened them and felt the shock of the wind resistance. Keeping them spread wide open, he tilted himself upward and felt the thermals lift him up effortlessly once more, and soon, both he and Firebolt were thousands of feet up in the air.

"That was wicked!" he exclaimed, giddy with excitement. "That was probably the scariest and coolest thing I've ever done!"

"You see?" Firebolt laughed. "Even someone as stuffy as you can have a great time flying!"

Kurogane hesitated slightly. Truth be told, he had enjoyed the breathtaking experience. The rush of excitement from the dive was having an intoxicating effect on him. He vaguely wondered how he had missed the pleasurable sensations of flying before.

"Don't worry, Blacksteel," she said cheerfully, misinterpreting his bemused expression. "I'll teach you everything there is to know about flying, and soon, you'll be an expert."

Kurogane frowned as he banked slightly to the left, following Firebolt's lead. The question was, did he want to learn everything there was about flying? Or everything there was about dragons, for the matter?

They must have been flying for another hour or so before Firebolt's wings shifted slightly. "This is where we start our descent," she called back to him over her shoulder. "We've finally reached the Valley."

They circled over the said valley, and for all of Firebolt's reassuring talk, Kurogane was unprepared for the number of creatures moving about below and around them in the sky. His heart pounded feverishly in his chest. Dragons! They were everywhere, and they were more than he could have ever imagined! Some of them lazed in the sun, preening themselves or swishing their tails sleepily. Others waded and splashed in the frost-tipped river below. Some of the younger ones were butting their heads together and romping around in the snow, similar in the way human boys would playfully fight together. There were numerous caves carved out into the mountains all around the valley, and, occasionally, a dragon would appear at the mouth of one and glide down on great wings to the valley floor.

A smaller dragon suddenly shot past them, a vivid metallic-looking blue color. "Hey, Firebolt!" he called her. "Watch this new move Starbreeze taught me!" He tucked his wings and plummeted down, spinning all the while around his axle like a miscalculated human spear thrown, or like a spinning arrowhead. As a smaller dragon in size, the feat was not lost upon them.

"Nice one, Lightningstreak!"

_Lightningstreak?_ Kurogane thought dazedly. Yes, now that he looked at the smaller blue-colored dragon better, he recognized him as one of his old dragon friends. But didn't he still recognize him like Firebolt? Or was he simply pretending that he hadn't noticed him?

Lightningstreak flew up to greet them, his yellowish eyes glinting excitedly. "Starbreeze taught it to me yesterday afternoon," he informed Firebolt proudly, "and I've been waiting for you to get back from hunting to show you. What didja get, anyhow? I'm starving!"

Firebolt grew apprehensive. "I, uh... didn't exactly have time to hunt," she said hesitantly.

Lightningstreak looked at her disapprovingly. "You know how Moonbeam gets," he warned her in a low voice. "If we don't do our share for the community, the humans—"

"Lightningstreak," she hissed warningly, "we've got company, in case you haven't noticed!"

"Company?" he repeated blankly, looking around. His eyes then fell upon Kurogane. He drew back in alarm, flapping his wings more frequently than was necessary. "Er... Firebolt...?" he said slowly. "Is that who I think it is?"

"Who else would it be?! Honestly, Lightningstreak, you can't be _that_ dense!"

Lightningstreak swallowed nervously. "Um..." he said slowly, looking at Kurogane timidly. "Could you just forget what I mentioned? I didn't mean any disrespect."

Kurogane couldn't help but let his jaw drop open. Honestly, this was the last reaction he had been expecting, especially from Lightningstreak. He looked positively terrified of him. "Er... Lightningstreak... are you sure you're not mistaken? I'm still the same person I was before."

Lightningstreak frowned in confusion. He looked to Firebolt for confirmation.

"Ryuujin hasn't told him about his task," she replied shortly. "He still doesn't know anything."

"He doesn't know... _anything_?" he repeated, aghast.

"Nothing whatsoever," Firebolt nodded.

Lightningstreak looked at Kurogane nervously. "Sorry," he apologized gruffly. "I just assumed..."

"There's no need to apologize," Kurogane assured him. He hesitated slightly. "We're still okay, aren't we?"

Lightningstreak did not reply for a moment. Then his face suddenly lit up. "You bet!" he grinned. "Welcome aboard, Blacksteel!"

Kurogane sighed silently in relief. He had been worried for a moment there that Lightningstreak would start treating him differently because of... his different appearance... and certainly because of some other reason he wasn't aware of yet. Kurogane didn't think that he would have been able to handle both human and dragon rejection.

The three of them soon landed smoothly (Kurogane admittedly not as smoothly as the other two) onto the crispy snow. Some of the other dragons, all unrecognizable to Kurogane, lifted their heads curiously, but he was unsure whether they knew who he was or simply chose not to acknowledge it.

Firebolt yawned hugely. "Man, I'm bushed," she said, stretching her forelegs before her, much in the way a cat would act when stretching. "Good thing they didn't realize who Blacksteel was," she muttered to Lightningstreak, but as dragon hearing was quite acute, Kurogane heard her voice, however low she tried to keep it. "The others won't be ready to accept him since he's ignorant about our plight."

Plight? Were the dragons in danger for some reason? Kurogane knew that there were humans who hunted them down, but they couldn't possibly be frightened of humans, could they? Or were they afraid of something else?

"We've gotta tell one of our superiors," Lightningstreak whispered back. "Who do you propose?"

"I'll tell Goldenridge and Silverthorn. They're the only ones who can do something about this."

"I hope so," he agreed. He looked at her, cocking his webbed ears worriedly. "But what about Moonbeam?"

"No!" Firebolt hissed. "No matter what, he mustn't find out before Goldenridge and Silverthorn!"

There was something about that name that made both Firebolt and Lightningstreak reek of fear, but whatever it was, Kurogane was at a loss to guess.

"Gotcha. I'll stay here with Blacksteel, then. You'd better hurry up and find them."

Firebolt nodded. "If any of the others approach you, make sure you're evasive about who he is. And under no circumstances are you to reveal to Moonbeam who he is!"

Lightningstreak nodded back. He clicked his tongue impatiently. "Hurry up, then, will ya?"

"All right, all right, don't have an egg about it," she huffed irritably.

"I won't," he assured her. "That's your department."

She looked at him in disgust. "Is that all you ever think about?" she demanded.

"Pretty much, yeah," he admitted, grinning hugely.

"Moron," she breathed, before turning her back on them and taking off, flying low over the valley.

"Spirited, isn't she?" Lightningstreak chuckled affectionately and turned to Kurogane with a speculative look.

Kurogane frowned. "Where'd Firebolt head off to?" he demanded.

"She's off to talk to Silverthorn and Goldenridge to see what becomes of you," he replied truthfully.

Kurogane was at least grateful that Lightningstreak was being honest with him.

"I'm sure they'll know what to do," he continued perkily, starting to head toward the river. "They're the wisest of us, after all. They've definitely had to deal with more difficult situations."

Although his words sounded confident, Kurogane could tell that he was more worried than he was prepared to admit. "Who's this Moonbeam you two kept talking about?" he asked him as they settled down against the frosty banks of the half-frozen river. "You both sounded as if he's pretty dangerous."

"Ah, well... maybe because he _is_ dangerous?" he replied dryly. "He's pretty aggressive and quick to anger. He's got a foul temper."

"Sounds familiar," Kurogane muttered.

"Oh, no, he's nothing like you," Lightningstreak assured him. "You two're very different. Although you swear and curse and rage and shout at anyone who pisses you off, you'd never seriously hurt them without a reason. Moonbeam? He's, well... he's pretty violent. He acts without thinking things through first, and he's not afraid to spill blood to get a point across."

Despite Lightningstreak's words, Kurogane thought otherwise. Their characters sounded _too_ similar for his liking. "So, what? Is he something like an unofficial bully?"

Lightningstreak hooted with laughter. "Now _that's_ a novel observation to describe Moonbeam!"

"Just _what_ exactly is this novel observation?" a deep voice suddenly said from behind them. "Don't be afraid, now, Lightningstreak. I'm _dying_ to know."

Lightningstreak gaped at the newcomer in fear. He hastened to get to his feet. "Moonbeam!" he spluttered. "I, uh... well, imagine you here! I didn't expect you to get here for at least another hour or two!"

Kurogane could tell that Lightningstreak was trying to buy time for Firebolt, but he could sense the vindictive aura surrounding the dragon behind him, and he could tell that it was not a good sign for his frivolous friend.

"Quit blubbering and explain yourself." The voice came out in a dangerous hiss, dripping venom.

"Explain myself?" Lightningstreak chuckled. "Why, I don't recall ever saying anything that needed explaining."

There was a low snarl, a strange slashing noise, and a cry of pain.

Lightningstreak stumbled backward, whimpering, as he raised his left foreleg to his face to finger the deep gash running along the left side of his face. Large droplets of blood dripped from the wound, and they steamed when they made contact with the snow on the ground.

"I should've slit your throat for your cheek," Moonbeam spat in disgust. He towered above the smaller dragon, raising his claw for another strike. "Insolent adolescent! I'll show you how you're supposed to address your superiors!"

His claw came down for the strike, but it was blocked by another claw.

A much stronger and larger claw than Lightningstreak's.

"That's enough," Kurogane growled menacingly, his crimson eyes blazing. He pushed him away roughly and stood between them like a shield. "You've got some nerve picking on someone who's far younger and weaker than you."

Moonbeam drew back in outrage. "Who are you to tell me what I can or can't do?!"

Lightningstreak sped to Kurogane's side quickly and gripped at his foreleg with his claw. "Come on, don't pick a fight with him," he said nervously, trying to drag him away from the larger dragon. "Firebolt said he mustn't find out who—"

"Just what am I not supposed to find out?" Moonbeam demanded in a low and dangerous growl. He was quite a magnificent and fierce-looking dragon with large black wings. His scales were a deep purple, a lighter shade covering his soft underbelly, and he had a mane of black hair, quite unusual for a dragon, but not unheard of. His beetle-black eyes were cold and enraged, and his black claws were sharp and deadly-looking. "Who do you think you are to hide things from _me_?!"

By now, the other dragons had drawn around curiously to watch the commotion. Among them, Kurogane spotted two familiar faces, those of Thunderbell and Pewterstone, two of his oldest friends. He couldn't tell if they recognized him, however, it would be better in this case if they didn't. From what Firebolt and Lightningstreak had said, Moonbeam was indeed a dangerous dragon, all the more so because he was, without a doubt, completely mad.

"You're delusional," Kurogane snarled. "I've never seen such a wretched excuse for a dragon." He turned. "Come on," he murmured quietly to Lightningstreak. "Let's get the hell outta here before we cause a scene."

"I think it's too late for that," Lightningstreak whispered back. In another situation, his words would have sounded humorous.

"Why is it that you speak as if you are not one of us?" Moonbeam said slowly and carefully.

Kurogane winced. As mad as the dragon obviously was, he still had a sharp mind about him, and considering the fact that his pride had been wounded, he was obviously not going to let Kurogane leave quietly. "I'm not obliged to explain myself to the likes of you," Kurogane replied shortly, keeping his back to him.

"You speak as if you are the Dragon Lord."

Lightningstreak involuntarily gasped, and Kurogane froze in his tracks. He had only heard that title a few times, and he had been trying to push the possibility out of his mind when he had been puzzling out what the connection he shared with Ryuujin would make him. Most of the other dragons began to whisper among themselves excitedly, while others remained silent, including Pewterstone and Thunderbell.

"Interesting," Kurogane muttered, loud enough to be heard. "Tell me... do you always accuse other dragons of this when they don't obey your every whim?" For some reason, he was now feeling utterly and completely calm. Such a calm had taken him over when he had been facing the cutthroats in the dark and gloomy street of Sembia.

"Don't provoke him!" Lightningstreak pleaded as quietly as he could. "You don't know what he's capable of!"

"So I am correct," Moonbeam said smugly. "You _are_ the Dragon Lord."

"How on earth did you reach that conclusion?" Kurogane commented lightly, flicking his ears in mock-astonishment. "And here I thought you were out of your mind."

"You are not answering my question," Moonbeam said, and this time he was not as successful as masking his impatience as before.

"I don't recall you asking one."

The dragons watching listened to their exchange with fascination. Some nodded in approval, while others frowned and shook their heads sadly. Others simply did not react at all.

"Clever," Moonbeam remarked, though it was obvious that he was not impressed. "Do you think I'll just let you walk away with a few clever words?"

"Of course you won't. You'll let me walk away only after I've finished telling you so." And with that, Kurogane made to leave.

_"Blacksteel!"_ Lightningstreak exclaimed in horror.

Moonbeam had lunged at Kurogane's exposed back, his teeth bared and his claws extended. Kurogane whirled around to face the clumsy attack, his own dragonish lips pulled back to reveal his sharp fangs and his own claws ready for battle. They crashed into each other, their ferocious snarls and growls filling the still air.

Moonbeam tried to claw at him, but Kurogane held him at arm's length, forcing him away from him with all the strength he could muster. Kurogane wasn't exactly sure how to use his newfound form as a weapon, and cursed himself for his stupidity in getting involved in a fight. But he knew that if he did not have the will to fight, then he would not have the will to win, either.

Pushing Moonbeam back, he caused the dragon to stumble, ready to leap upon him and claw at his exposed underbelly where he knew was a dragon's weak spot, but Moonbeam was swift on his feet and whipped out at him with his long serpentine tail. Moonbeam's spiked tail succeeded in finding a mark; a deep gash now ran along Kurogane's left shoulder. Finding an opportunity in his opponent's momentary hesitation, Moonbeam parted his jaws and ejected a strange dark substance that splattered over Kurogane's chest.

"That was deliberate cheating!" one of the dragons exclaimed.

"In a one-on-one battle our Talent isn't allowed!" another agreed.

Kurogane screamed in pain as he felt his whole chest burning, as if on fire. But when he looked down at himself, he saw that it was not fire that had gotten him, but something akin to a toxic acid, as the fleshy scales over his chest began to sizzle and melt. Oh, how Kurogane hated it whenever someone thought he could sneak out of a battle by resorting to cowardly methods to dispose of him. It was obvious that Moonbeam did not simply want to humiliate him. He was determined to kill him!

Kurogane bared his fangs and screeched in fury as he lunged at Moonbeam, pulling back his claw to swipe at him. Moonbeam staggered and cried out in pain as three long gashes adorned his face. Snarling in fury, Moonbeam threw Kurogane down, falling over him in the process. He then stole the opportunity to jam his elbow into Kurogane's neck and apply pressure. Kurogane gasped and gagged, tearing at Moonbeam's scaly foreleg with his talons in hopes of release. But Moonbeam simply applied more pressure onto Kurogane's throat to avail his efforts of choking him to death.

_No! Not again!_ Kurogane thought furiously, thrashing wildly beneath the heavier and more experienced dragon. He read his death in those soulless, pitiless black eyes, but he would not yield to it, not while he still had the strength to fight back. _I'm not going to die like this!_

_I'm not going to die without seeing Tomoyo again..._

Desperate to somehow strengthen the last of his resolve, his thoughts had involuntarily strayed to Tomoyo once more. Using up what little breath had remained in him, an instinctive burst of flame shot forth from his gaping jaws and enveloped Moonbeam's right side. Shrieking in pain, Moonbeam released him while Kurogane simultaneously lunged at him, a mindless frenzy taking over him as he opened his jaws wide and extended his claws. His fangs and talons sank deeply into soft, scaly flesh, and he felt a hot liquid spill into his mouth.

Moonbeam struggled weakly to escape from his grasp, but Kurogane simply tightened his claim on him, his talons and fangs sinking another few inches into the dying dragon's throat. Several tense moments passed in a heavy silence, but for Moonbeam's rapidly weakening struggles for salvation.

It seemed as if an eternity had passed until Kurogane finally released his hold on Moonbeam, the dragon's limp body falling to the ground. The mighty black dragon stood there, gasping for breath, as dark blood slowly dripped from his fangs and talons. His vertical pupils had dilated in the heat of the battle, but they slowly shrank back to normal, revealing the red of his eyes once more.

The red that was so similar to the red color of the blood staining his claws...

_Wait a minute... _He frowned momentarily in confusion. _Is that... blood...?_ And then the stark reality of the unmistakable metallic taste in his mouth confirmed his fears. His heart began to beat wildly in his chest, pounding in his ears. What had just happened? What did he do? His frantic gaze traveled around him, and then, fell upon Moonbeam's lifeless body. _Oh, no... it can't be... not again..._

Kurogane flinched violently and shrank back from the bloody carcass. "What've I done?" he croaked, horrified, stumbling weakly from his shock and dismay. "What've I done?!" He drew great, rasping breaths, on the verge of hysterics. "I killed him... I killed him!"

Lightningstreak approached him slowly, but not as if he were afraid of him; on the contrary, his gaze portrayed his concern. "Blacksteel?" he whispered tentatively.

Kurogane's face twitched as he looked up at him. In contrast to Lightningstreak, his eyes were wide in terror. "I'm sorry..." he gasped. "I... I don't know what came over me... I didn't want it to end like this..."

"I know," he assured him. "But he attacked you. You had no choice in the matter." He paused. "He wouldn't have hesitated to kill you," he added quietly.

That was just Kurogane's problem. Ever since being freed from his curse, he had been forced to kill for survival. But who was he to decide who lived or who died? Who was he to resort to severing lives for the sake of his own? Who was he to continue living, when he killed others to achieve it? He wanted an answer, as much to explain himself as to understand his actions.

"A remarkable display. I would have expected no less from the son of Ryuujin."

Kurogane and Lightningstreak looked up at the sound of the new voice.

Firebolt and Silverthorn stood there, the younger fire dragon wearing a stunned-looking expression, whereas Silverthorn's expression was one of cool calculation. The two of them flanked a third dragon, the one who had spoken, and the most beautiful and awe-inspiring dragon Kurogane had clapped eyes on yet.

She was massive and regal-looking, her golden scales gleaming brightly in the sunlight. She had silvery spiraling horns on her head, and large elf-like ears, similar to his own in size and shape. She was around the same size as Silverthorn, and her massive silver bat-like wings were folded at her sides. If Kurogane were to describe her, he would say that she was Silverthorn's complete opposite. Where he was silver, she was golden, and where he was golden, she was silver. But instead of her eyes being ruby-red like his, they were a brilliant electric blue.

Lightningstreak hurriedly bowed his head to her in acknowledgement, and then to Silverthorn. The dragons that had gathered did likewise.

Kurogane simply looked down at his feet—claws, in this case—his talons and fangs still dripping blood. He did not know how to react in front of them. He considered it foolish to imitate the other dragons, as he still did not consider himself as one of them. And besides, he did not know how the dragons would react to the death of one of their own. Would they turn on him? He felt that at least some of the onlookers were sure to do so sooner or later.

"You appear to be troubled, Blacksteel," she observed in a deep and throaty voice. "Allow me to put your mind at ease. My name is Goldenridge. I am what my kind refers to as the Golden Dragon, and Silverthorn, whom you are already acquainted with, is likewise referred to as the Silver Dragon."

Kurogane did not reply as he continued to stare down at his claws.

"Do you not have anything to say?" she inquired quizzically.

What was there to say? That he had no idea why he turned into a dragon other than because his father was one? That he had killed one of their kind in self-defense, even if he had done it when he could have done otherwise? "I have nothing to say," he replied in a flat voice.

"Firebolt told us that you have no knowledge of your true heritage and of your task. Is this correct?"

Kurogane said nothing at first. "Yes," he finally admitted heavily.

Goldenridge nodded once. "Then we are obliged to inform you." She turned her back on him. "Follow us," she said as she started down the small hill.

"But what about—?" Kurogane began to protest, then stopped himself before finishing.

Goldenridge turned. "What about what?"

"The dragon..." Kurogane said faintly, shifting his gaze away from Moonbeam's still form.

"There is no need for you to concern yourself over him. I will explain," she added quickly at Kurogane's puzzled look, "but not here." She smiled softly and encouragingly. "I will explain everything you need to know."

Kurogane hesitated slightly. He felt as if he were reaching a crossroad in his life. He could choose either to follow Goldenridge in hopes of something better than his present misery, or to stay as he was, with no hope of ever going back or ever moving forward. A fleeting image of a laughing Tomoyo filled his mind. Would there ever be a chance he would see her again?

He squared his shoulders and took a step toward the dragon.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** Under no circumstances do I mean any disrespect by using certain aspects from Japanese mythology. I simply used the various myths and legends as a reference, but from then on I shaped and molded them in a way that would convey a relevant understanding to the era this fan fic is developing in. I apologize if I've offended anyone, but remember, this is all fiction. It's not meant to be taken seriously.

The term 'Talent' that one of the dragons mentioned (and something I plan to develop in the next chapter) is taken from somewhere else... In L.E. Modesitt Jr's _Corean Chronicles_, magic is referred to as 'Talent', because not many people can use magic. I thought it an appropriate term to refer to dragon magic with the same term instead of just calling it plain old magic. Sort of as a way to separate human magic from dragon magic, if you consider that a dragon breathing fire or acid or whatever is magical. So I didn't really copy, in the end. The word just sounded fancy to me. XD

You guys may think that I make Kurogane out of character... but I prefer to think of it as 'digging deeper'. By reading TRC, I've tried to uncover his psychology. He's obviously filled with tons of conflicting emotions, and he's certainly changed, at least partially, since his journey began. And unless you didn't notice it, I started playing with his killing-obsession from the start, when I made the others discover his unnatural thirst for blood. And then I tried—and still am trying—to develop on it, as he struggles to comprehend his own reasons for resorting to bloodshed. Yeah... I'm a philosopher at heart! And I make my heroes suffer! I am eviiiiiil! XP

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	19. Fighting Destiny

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 19 — Fighting Destiny**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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"This looks like a good place to stop," Fay suggested brightly, pulling on the reins of his mount. He shaded his eyes and surveyed the small forest clearing. "The horses could use a break to conserve their energy for the rest of the day's trek." His amused gaze fell upon an exhausted Mokona dozing upon his shoulder. "And judging by the look on Mokona's face, I suppose we could all use a break," he grinned, hopping down from his mount.

Syaoran dismounted swiftly and turned back to offer Sakura his hand to help her down. After carefully balancing the sphere still containing her feather in the crook of her left arm, she reached out and took his hand. "Do you think we really should be stopping, Fay-san?" she asked the blond wizard tentatively as soon as she had straightened, stowing the sphere away in one of the packs.

"It's been a tiring ride," he replied truthfully, absent-mindedly patting his mount, "and besides, it's nearly time for lunch."

"But..." Sakura tried not to look at Tomoyo, who had just climbed down from her own horse, still clutching Kurogane's sword to her chest.

It was obvious to all why Sakura was worried. Tomoyo seemed to be oblivious to her surroundings, her expression numb and detached, as if she had fallen into some kind of silent misery that had deprived her of all her senses. Perhaps the ride had done her more harm than good, for when on a horse one usually only had their thoughts for company (as it was not exactly the easiest thing in the world to talk to someone while on horseback). And there was no question as to who was constantly on her mind.

"I know," Fay said softly. "I'm just as worried about her as you are." He drew closer to the two adolescents and lowered his voice. "Which is why we should act as normal as possible around her. It's the best course to follow in such a situation."

Syaoran nodded in agreement. "I think we should keep her preoccupied somehow, so she won't think too much about Kurogane-san..." His gaze fell in shame and he shifted his shoulders slightly, as if he had committed some sort of crime by mentioning his name.

"Are you sure there isn't anything we can do for her?" Sakura pressed desperately. "Some kind of spell or something...?"

Fay frowned slightly in disapproval and shook his head. "If we used a spell it'd only make things worse. After the affects would wear off she'd be back to how she is now... perhaps with even more pronounced symptoms. I'd rather not have you use that specific spell unless there's no other option to bring her out of her shock."

"Is it that serious?" Syaoran asked in surprise.

"No, it's not serious... at least not yet." Fay offered them a small smile of reassurance. "All we have to do is act as if nothing's wrong and keep her preoccupied. We can do that much at least, right?"

"I suppose so," Sakura sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "There's not really anything else we can do for her... or for..." She fell silent.

Fay smiled again encouragingly. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. I'm sure we'll be able to bring him back. Now, then..." He turned back to his mount and began to rummage through the packs. His brow furrowed slightly. "I'm afraid we're rather short as far as provisions go. I used up all the vegetables for our soup the other day." He straightened and sighed theatrically. "Ah, well. I guess we'll just have to make do with some bread and cheese."

"We could get more if we stop at a village or town," Syaoran suggested. "I'll check the map."

"Good thinking, Syaoran-kun," Fay nodded approvingly after his retreating back. "Now, let's see..." He turned his head and raised his voice slightly. "Tomoyo-chan, could you come and give us a hand over here?"

Tomoyo slowly raised her eyes from staring listlessly at the clearing, her gaze vacant and showing no flash of recognition. She made her way through the snow to him, still cradling Souhi in her arms. "...Yes?" she whispered faintly.

"Sakura-chan and I could sure use a hand preparing lunch," Fay smiled pleasantly. "I was thinking we could use some bread and cheese for our meal. What do you think?"

"I don't have a problem," she said softly.

He chuckled and bent over the packs. "It's not easy to force down dry food, though. Tomoyo-chan, could you fill our water-skins at that spring over there?" He straightened and dumped four leather water-skins in her arms.

Tomoyo had to adjust them slightly so she could still keep her grip on the sword, then turned around and headed for the pool.

Fay sighed in relief. "That's encouraging."

"What is?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Tomoyo-chan's able to talk with us and understand what's going on around her. I was afraid that she might have been suffering from some form of melancholia, but I can see now that it was a false alarm. She's probably just trying to sort through what happened while also trying not to be reduced to tears by it again." His relieved expression darkened. "But if she doesn't let out some of her emotions soon, she might actually be inflicted by it."

Sakura bit her lower lip in momentary worry before turning to Syaoran, shuffling through the snow to get to him. "Did you find a village that's nearby?" she asked curiously when she reached his side.

Syaoran did not reply at first. His brow was knitted in thought as he peered down at the difficult ideograms labeling each city and shrine on the large island. "We could head over to Matsusaka, a small town a little way to the north..." he said abstractedly. "It's not that far, actually. It'll only take us a few hours to get there..."

"That's good to hear," Sakura said. "I'll tell Fay-san—"

"Wait a minute," Syaoran interjected, his eyes falling back to the map. "There's something else I want to clarify first..."

His amber eyes were intent in their search. "Aha," he whispered triumphantly, tracing his finger along the faint brown line that indicated the Highway, the large main road that led to the biggest and most important cities and landmarks in both Nihon and Semba. A thinner line leading from it ended at a small design that read _Solar Tower_. Now, if he remembered correctly, the tower's balcony faced that small trail, which meant that they had done the right thing following it to the Highway. However, the road then banked to the right, clearly heading northward. He frowned deeply. Perhaps it had not been such a good idea to follow the Highway the last few hours. If he were in Kurogane's place, he was sure that he, for one, wouldn't have taken any roads into account, not if he were in a similar condition. That probably meant that Kurogane must have continued in a straight line, logically heading northwest. It was a rather shaky guess with no real basis, but Syaoran felt sure that he was right.

"Right," he murmured, folding the map and stuffing it into one of the numerous pockets of his pants. "Now we can tell Fay-san."

Sakura's expression betrayed her confusion, but she followed Syaoran back to Fay's side.

"I think we're going the wrong way," Syaoran promptly informed the older man, sitting down onto one of the smaller and rounder rocks to one side where Fay had prepared a makeshift table out of a large flat-surfaced rock.

"Hm?" He raised his head from slicing up loaves of bread, his expression puzzled. "How so?"

"I studied the map and I'm pretty sure that Kurogane-san must have headed northwest. It fits in accordance to the location of Solar Tower. But after a few hours of following the trail we took to the Highway again, which leads more to the north than to the west." He squared his shoulders. "We're heading too north."

Fay laid down the cutting knife and crossed his arms. "Things may very well be like you say, but he may have also followed a different direction altogether," he pointed out. "Either way, we can't be sure. Unless..." He tilted his head to one side, his eyes drifting to Sakura's face. "Do you think you could try to sense his life-force, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura started in surprise. "I... I don't know," she confessed. "I've never tried to sense anyone over long distances."

"But you've sensed him before," Fay reminded her, "which means that you can recall the specific pattern his life-force has, right?"

"Right..." she said, albeit a little hesitantly.

"Then it won't be too difficult for you to pinpoint his location for us."

Sakura did not answer at first. "...I think I can do it," she said after a few moments. "I just need some time to concentrate."

Fay nodded and motioned for Syaoran to give him the map. He took it and spread it out upon the snow, placing small pebbles at the end to keep it in place. Then he straightened, his eyes fixed upon Sakura's form.

Sakura drew a deep breath and closed her eyes. Nothing seemed to happen at first. But after a few moments a gust of air picked up, swirling her auburn hair about her face, and some sort of an invisible wall had erected itself around her. Syaoran could feel the empty silence creeping up upon them, and he involuntarily shivered. Several tense moments passed.

"I can feel him..." she whispered, her hair continuing to sway rhythmically with the wind. "He's... he's feeling very confused. And..." She frowned slightly. "He's... in pain. In terrible pain..."

"He's hurt?" Syaoran demanded anxiously.

"No... it's not a physical pain..." Sakura continued, her frown growing more prominent. "It's more like a pain... coming from his heart..."

"...What else?"

Syaoran and Fay turned at the new voice to see that Tomoyo had returned from the spring's banks, her long raven hair flowing in the breeze and her heart in her luminous violet eyes. She had apparently sensed the use of Sakura's magic, which had been enough to bring her out of her shocked silence.

"What else can you feel?" Tomoyo urged in a trembling voice, taking a few steps toward them. She clasped her hands together, her eyes mirroring her desperation.

"He feels guilty for something he's done..." Sakura muttered. "And he..." She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. "He absolutely _loathes_ himself for what he's become..."

Tomoyo's hands were visibly shaking. "Can you...?" She momentarily closed her eyes and drew a deep breath to steady herself. "Can you tell... where he is?"

Sakura nodded. "I think so."

"Show us on the map," Fay instructed.

Sakura knelt before the map, her hand hovering over their location. "He flew over here last night. He... he actually stopped here," she said, her brow creasing slightly. "And he met someone..." Her eyes suddenly snapped open. "He came into contact with Firebolt!"

"Firebolt?" Tomoyo frowned in confusion.

"One of his dragon friends," Fay explained. "She's a fire dragon, like him. But I had the impression that her territory was further north..."

"She could have learned about Kurogane-san's transformation from Ryuujin," Syaoran suggested. "He would have probably told the dragons to be on the lookout for him."

"Or she could have simply bumped into him by chance." He shrugged helplessly. "Anything's possible."

Syaoran's brow creased. "But is it a good thing or a bad thing that Kurogane-san's come into contact with dragons?"

"If he only has a limited time to complete his task, I suppose it's for the better," Fay decided. He turned back to Sakura. "Where is he now?"

Her finger trailed over the map. "Here," she said, indicating a pair of mountains. "He and Firebolt flew the rest of the night and most of the morning to get there. They've only been there for a couple of hours." She looked up at them. "That must be where all the dragons gather. I can sense more of them."

"How many?" Fay asked.

"Close to a hundred, I'd say."

"Only that many?" Tomoyo said in surprise.

Sakura nodded.

Tomoyo bit on her lower lip. "They're dying out..." she said faintly. "No wonder they need him." She looked up at them worriedly. "There used to be thousands of dragons in the past. If their number has been reduced to such a small handful... they're in desperate need of assistance."

"No wonder that mage appeared so worried," Fay said thoughtfully. "They're close to becoming extinct."

Syaoran peered down at the map and fished out a small piece of charcoal from his pocket. "You said he's here, right?" he asked Sakura again, indicating the spot with a forefinger.

"I'm sure of it."

He circled the spot with the charcoal piece. His eyes followed the direction to the mountains from their location. But for a rather large fir tree forest, a number of small towns and large rice fields, coupled with the occasional stream or meadow, there wasn't really any road to follow as he had hoped. "I think we're going to have to follow the Highway northward until we reach Yokka." He indicated a small village to the north, along the eastern coastline. "Then we could follow the left branch of the main road until Kutsasu, then take the trail that'll lead us closest to the mountains. It'll probably take us five to six days in total to get there on horseback."

"Couldn't we take these roads over here?" Fay suggested, pointing out smaller trails leading away from the Highway toward the west.

"It'll be easier and faster to travel on the main road as far as we can," Syaoran disagreed. "Smaller roads are usually less-traveled and more dangerous. And anyway, those roads over there don't lead us closer to those mountains."

Tomoyo knelt down beside him. She drew back a few loose strands of her hair, her eyes thoughtful. "It'd be faster if we take the Highway until Matsusaka, and then to Nigachi," she suggested, indicating a town somewhat northwest. "Since the Highway branches out in two a little above Nigachi, we'll be able to take the left route to Minakotsu and from there take the road leading to Jorsan. After that, all we'd have to do is take that small trail northward past the borders back into Nihon. By continuing along it we can hopefully be taken straight to the valley between the two mountains."

"How can you tell where the borders are?" Syaoran asked.

"They're in black." She pointed at the map. "See those black dashes? Those are the borders separating Nihon and Semba."

Syaoran did a few quick calculations in his head. He looked up at them and nodded. "I think Tomoyo-hime's suggestion is the best. If we traveled like that, it'd only take us four to five days to get there. It's certainly more convenient than what I suggested."

Fay nodded in agreement. "The sooner we knock some sense into him, the better." He flashed them a huge grin. "I don't know about you guys, but I found it very rude of him when he turned tail and flew away. He didn't even consider to sit down for a civilized conversation so we could clear things up!" He crossed his arms and assumed an all-knowing expression. "It would have saved us all a lot of time if he'd just stayed put like the rest of us to hear the mage out. Now we're reduced to chasing after him all over the place!"

Sakura and Syaoran exchanged amused grins, already used to Fay's peculiar methods of lifting their spirits. Maybe it was the wizard's natural euphoria, or maybe it was a talent he had picked up over the years that did the trick. Whatever the reason, it always managed to work, despite the seriousness of the situation.

Tomoyo's lips curved hesitantly. "I appreciate you trying to cheer us up, Fay-kun," she said softly. "But I don't blame him for running away." She lowered her gaze to the ground. "He's... he's probably afraid to face us. And he's probably ashamed of his heritage as well." There was a small catch in her voice. "He... he was trying to explain... before it happened. He tried to, he really did..." She forced a shaky smile. "But you all know him... he doesn't have a way with words..." She drew in an uneven breath, water welling up in her eyes.

Sakura half-raised her hand, as if she wanted to comfort her, but Syaoran shook his head slightly and murmured low enough so only she could hear, "I think this is what she really needs. She has to let it all out so her heart can heal."

Sakura sighed and helplessly nodded in agreement.

"He's... he's not a person who ever cries," Tomoyo continued, gasping weakly. "Can you believe that I'd never seen him cry before then? He'd always try to hide his emotions from everybody. He'd always try to face his problems on his own. But he can't understand that it eventually backfires, bringing forth more pain than was originally necessary... He's so stubborn..." She exhaled and ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "By the gods, I know he said what he did for my own good... because he wanted to protect me... but I felt so... _betrayed_. It hurt me so much to hear him utter those words..." She wiped furiously at her tears. "How... how can I hate him and love him at the same time?!" she finally cried out in despair. She looked up at them imploringly, her eyes desperately seeking an answer in their faces. "What kind of a person am I?!"

"A human," Fay said softly. "A human who loves someone so much that she'd be willing to sacrifice herself for him without a second thought." He hesitated slightly before taking a step toward her, drawing her into his embrace. "And believe me... that's the greatest thing anyone could ever ask for in all the Universe. I've never seen someone love another so deeply and so strongly than the way you love him." He held her at arm's length and smiled down at her warmly. "And the fact that he was trying to push you away only proves how much he loves you and cares about you in return."

Tomoyo blinked hard to fight back the tears and hugged him desperately. "I want to believe," she whispered hoarsely. "I want to believe your words so much."

"Believe them," he said solemnly. He suddenly cracked her a wide grin. "It's the honest truth!"

She laughed weakly, and, somehow, even though she had otherwise thought it impossible, she could see a faint glimmer of hope. She knew that Fay was right. He meant his words, and she could not even begin to tell him how grateful she was for his support. And not only for his support, but for the support that they had all shown her. In that aspect, Tomoyo was positive that she had found the most valuable friends that she could ever ask for in the world, perhaps in all other worlds, as well.

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The sky was an unusual crisp blue color, the bright noon sun casting its rays down in the Valley of the Dragons. The air was chill, bringing with it the smell signaling that more snow would soon fall. The surroundings radiated a serene silence that had the ability to bring peace and tranquility to any troubled soul. Most of the older dragons were resting in their caves at this time of day, but the young dragonlings had stolen the opportunity to hold some sort of head-butting match amongst themselves, knowledgeable of the fact that their parents would not interrupt them anytime soon. Their squeals and cries of delight drifted up to the low hillside, where Kurogane stood, lost in his own silence. He hardly took in the juvenile sounds, too focused upon the golden dragon standing before him and the story she had just revealed to him.

It was some time before he raised his head to look at them all; Goldenridge with her regal and magnificent bearing, Silverthorn with his tired yet wise ruby-red eyes, Firebolt with a surprised and approving look on her face at the same time, and Lightningstreak with eyes wide in stunned bafflement. The rest of the dragons had long since gone at Goldenridge's request—though that apparent request had sounded more like a command at the time—to Kurogane's relief. He did not think he would have been able to handle the truth with more of them present. But then again, even now he was still having more than a little difficulty in handling it.

Kurogane shuffled his claws in the snow. "So that's my task?" he finally said tonelessly. "To somehow stop this pointless war and bring peace?"

Goldenridge nodded solemnly. "As Ryuujin told me, in his very words."

Kurogane rubbed at his head and exhaled exasperatedly. "To be completely honest... I think you've got the wrong person," he said weakly. "I'm not peacemaker material. I don't know a thing about how to make peace." He snorted dryly. "And what do you want me to do, anyway? Just walk up to them and demand that they stop fighting? Is that going to solve anything?"

"It's a start," Lightningstreak muttered under his breath, earning himself a reproachful glare from Firebolt.

"You are the Dragon Lord," Goldenridge said confidently. "How can you not succeed at your task being what you are? Being _who_ you are? This is your destiny. You were born for this."

"Born for what?" he suddenly demanded hotly. "To be trapped between two worlds? To be trapped between humans and dragons? All right, let's just say for a minute that I manage to stop your stupid war. What happens to me afterward? How am I supposed to fit in either society?" He could no longer keep his temper under control and he finally snapped. "I'm neither human nor dragon! I don't belong anywhere!"

"I understand that you're feeling greatly confused, but we need you. We don't have much time left. You cannot deny your fate—"

"Screw fate! It's shit like that that's made my life a living hell!" he exclaimed furiously. "Destinies, prophecies, fates... I'm sick of it! I'm sick of it all! First it's going from dimension to dimension looking for frigging feathers and now it's stopping a frigging war I'm not even a part of! Why can't you solve your own damn problems and leave me the hell alone?! I've already done enough!" He clenched his claw in a fist, so hard that his talons were digging into his scaly flesh. "Just... just leave me alone," he whispered vehemently, his shoulders trembling. "Leave me alone..."

Goldenridge opened her mouth to speak, but Silverthorn cut her off. "Methinks I should handle this," he said, turning to Kurogane.

Kurogane momentarily looked up at him, but quickly dropped his gaze in shame. He knew that his outburst had been totally uncalled for, but he couldn't help but feel as if he were being manipulated by everyone—as if he were a chess piece that was being thrust right into danger's way and abandoned to fend for himself. However so he felt, the look that Silverthorn gave him hurt him more than he would admit.

"Blacksteel... I believe that thou dost realize that I hold thee in high esteem, however, thy fury is unjust," Silverthorn said sternly. "If thy desire is to not aid us in our plight, then so be it. We cannot force thee to help us. However, thou art now dragon, belonging to our world and to our society. Therefore _our_ problems art now _thy_ problems. I believe it only fair to warn thee that thou wilt also be under the risk of being hunted down upon venturing out of the Valley."

Kurogane looked up at him in astonishment. "Are... are you implying that I'd actually be attacked... by _humans_?"

"Certainly. After all, they regard us as fierce and ferocious creatures with an unnatural thirst for blood. They wouldst not hesitate to try to bring thee down."

Even though he wanted to deny it, he knew that Silverthorn was right. He had seen it with his very own eyes on a number of occasions. Humans who would begin cheering and celebrating when brave and mighty warriors would return to a village with a dragon's carcass tied down in a large cart, laughing raucously at their fallen foe with its broken and abnormally-bent wings and its wide, vacant eyes, scoffing at its supposed greatness. Its once-beautiful scales torn and stained with blood, with its fangs and talons ripped out to adorn some coward's neck or other. An empty shell of what used to be a powerful and proud creature of the sky.

Kurogane would always burn with anger whenever chance had it and he was present at such gatherings. The bastards. They laughed at the dragon lying dead at their feet, but had they been laughing at it when it had been flying majestically in the sky? When it had been trying to defend itself until its last breath? Kurogane would never hesitate to kill someone in defense, but to kill for sport was repulsive and unjust. Sadly, he knew all too well that most humans were like that. Did he want to be part of a society that did not uphold honors and ideals? Did he uphold any honors and ideals himself for being a human?

Silverthorn had been eyeing him speculatively. "Art thou now willing to listen to what we hast to tell thee?"

Swallowing hard, Kurogane nodded.

"We don't have much time left," Goldenridge said heavily. "Ever since humans began to massacre us, there have been less births every year. As you probably already know, dragons live for hundreds of years, but older dragons cannot produce more offspring. A dragon can mate to reproduce only once in its life, and only at a specific age and season depending on what kind of a dragon it is. Most of us are killed before becoming of age, and those of us who do manage to mate only give birth to one dragonling. That is how it had always been, but with our numbers diminishing so quickly..."

"To two dragons there's only one dragonling," Firebolt offered. "And with only around a hundred and fifty of us left..."

Kurogane froze in stunned disbelief. "How can you be so few?" he demanded in horror. "I thought..." He bit off his words and exhaled heavily. "Never mind what I thought. It's obvious I was too quick to judge you all." He bowed his head. "I was acting like a selfish bastard..."

"Hell, yeah," Lightningstreak agreed fervently.

Firebolt shook her head. "It's all right. You didn't know."

"But still, that doesn't justify my reaction," Kurogane said bitterly. "You wouldn't have been so desperate for my help if things weren't this serious. I should have realized it sooner..."

"What matters now is that you finally understand," Goldenridge said. She drew herself up to her full height. "Will you now live up to your name and help us?"

Although her question was not phrased formally, it seemed to expect a formal answer. Kurogane nodded and drew in a deep breath. "I'll try to do my best and live up to your expectations."

Goldenridge smiled. "I'm sure you will accomplish your task. After all, you are the son of Ryuujin."

"But we must give thee fair warning that thou hast not much time to accomplish it," Silverthorn added. "Ryuujin revealed unto us that thou hast only seven days at thy disposal."

"I've only got one week to help?!" Kurogane asked somewhat indignantly.

Goldenridge nodded solemnly. "Before you become a full dragon."

His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What do you mean by that?"

"As the days pass, you will begin to think and act more like a dragon than a human. Right now you are imperfect, an undecided battle between your two halves raging inside of you. But soon, your dragon half will take over, and then you will truly become the Dragon Lord."

"Take over?" he demanded warily. "Take over how?"

"I do not know," Goldenridge confessed. "Ryuujin did not elaborate."

Kurogane clenched his teeth together in exasperation. More incomprehensible riddles that did not make any sense. Why couldn't they be straightforward from the start? He hated dealing with vague explanations.

"I understand you are feeling frustrated at your unclear instructions, and if I could explain the situation better, I would. But not even I know what is in store for you. You will just have to make do with what you know."

Kurogane snorted dismissively. _Easier said than done_, he thought dryly.

"We hast other obligations to attend to, Goldenridge," Silverthorn reminded her in his deep voice.

"I expect we'll cross paths again soon, Blacksteel," she said in a fashion of farewell. Bowing her head to him once, she then turned to Silverthorn, and they spread their wings, taking off majestically into the air.

Kurogane sighed heavily, his brow creasing in thought at what Goldenridge had said. If his dragon half took over, what would become of his human half? Would it be like he had never existed?

"Well, that was certainly illuminating," Lightningstreak commented wryly.

Kurogane snorted and smiled slightly. "You never said a truer word."

"Ryuujin must have had a reason to be so cryptic with Goldenridge," Firebolt mused. "She's the most straightforward of us. If Ryuujin had told her more, she would have certainly said so. But... I suppose he probably wants you to figure this out for yourself."

"The deadline isn't helping," Kurogane grunted.

"Anyhow..." Firebolt said slowly as they started down the hill. "Do you think Silverthorn was referring to the Guardians? Rumor has it that there've been some problems lately."

"Probably," Lightningstreak replied. "From what Starbreeze told me the other day, she and Evenstar are having trouble keeping up the barriers."

"What're you talking about?" Kurogane said in confusion. "What are the Guardians?"

"The dragons that protect the Valley," Firebolt explained. "They make sure to keep up invisible barriers and illusions to prevent humans from discovering where we live."

"And Evenstar's one of them?" he said in surprise.

"She's the best of the lot."

"Along with Starbreeze, of course," Lightningstreak added proudly. "They're the two most powerful Guardians."

"Who's Starbreeze?" Kurogane said blankly.

"Only the most beautiful dragon in the whole valley," he said blissfully, causing Firebolt to snigger heartily.

Kurogane arched an eyebrow. "I take it this Starbreeze has caught our friend's eye over here?" he asked Firebolt knowingly.

"Only?" She grinned. "They've been going steady for months now."

"Really?" Kurogane demanded in disbelief. He frowned suspiciously. "Are you sure we're talking about the same Lightningstreak?"

Firebolt collapsed into the snow in helpless giggles. "That's just what I said when I first heard it!"

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Lightningstreak said easily. "After all..." He motioned Kurogane closer and lowered his voice to a whisper, saying, "Firebolt's no saint, either."

"Excuse me?" she said snippily, her eye twitching. "Since when?"

"Wasn't there something going on between you and Serpentscale at one point?" he mused, scratching at his neck.

"Serpentscale?" Kurogane said quickly, his ears perking up. "He's one of my oldest dragon friends. His territory's pretty close to Shirasagi and we'd meet pretty often in the past." He shook his head and grinned in remembrance. "Wow, I haven't seen him in ages. How is he? Is he still as stubborn as always?"

Firebolt bowed her head and said nothing at first. "...Why did you have to mention him, Lightningstreak?" she whispered faintly.

"Why? Did I say something wrong?" Lightningstreak asked blankly.

"He... he was... killed... in one of the raids... remember...?"

Kurogane froze and felt his chest tighten.

"By Ryuujin's teeth, I completely forgot!" Lightningstreak gasped in horror, smacking his forehead. "Oh, shit, I'm such an imbecile! I'm so sorry, Firebolt!"

"It's all right..." she said quietly. "It happened years ago."

Kurogane shook his head dazedly. "Serpentscale... dead?" He ground his teeth together. "How did this happen?"

"A few years ago, when the humans had been patrolling the area close to his territory," Firebolt explained, swallowing hard. "They found his cave and he tried to escape... a spear... through the throat..."

"Damn it!" Kurogane growled, forming a fist and pounding the ground. "If anyone didn't deserve that, it was Serpentscale!" He gnashed his teeth together furiously. How many more of his friends had perished for this pointless blood feud? "What about Cloudbeard?" he demanded. "And Greenleaf?" He gripped Lightningstreak's shoulders and shook him slightly. "Please, tell me they haven't died, too!"

Lightningstreak avoided eye-contact with him. "Cloudbeard's all right... but Greenleaf died recently..." He drew an uneasy breath. "You know how small earth dragons are... he was overwhelmed..."

Kurogane released him in disgust and turned, feeling his chest tightening again. "Wasn't... wasn't there anyone there who could've stopped it?" he finally demanded in exasperation. "Someone who could've prevented it from happening?"

"By the time we found out, it was too late," Firebolt said softly. "None of us were close enough to get there in time."

Kurogane began to pace about restlessly. First Serpentscale, then Greenleaf... what other horrors would he discover before this was all over? Now, more than ever, did he finally understand why they needed him so much. Despite their society being complex and orderly with no governmental troubles, which was so common with humans, dragons were not unified. Humans were equally scattered, but they could manage with numbers. Dragons, unfortunately, didn't have such an option open to them, no matter how cooperative they were. And it wouldn't help the situation at all if they continued to be picked off one by one.

He was beginning to see that this wouldn't be as easy as he had hoped. If dragons were being constantly killed wherever they turned, then peace was not an option, not when humans would continue relentlessly butchering them. It was not so much as helping the dragons, but helping humans understand that killing off dragons was pointless. But how would he be able to do that in his dragon form? They'd attack him before he'd be able to bat an eyelash.

He wished that he could have stayed human. It would have been easier to prevent the blood feud continuing if they'd have told him from the start what he had to do. He would have been given a better chance to explain the situation, and more time to accomplish it. The way things were heading now, it appeared as if there was no hope whatsoever in convincing humans that dragons were virtuous creatures who simply wanted to be left in peace...

"Wait a minute..." he muttered. "That's it!" It wasn't about making peace between humans and dragons at all! It was about making peace _solely_ for dragons! Creating a place where they would be able to live without worrying about humans ever attacking them, a place where they would be able to be free, without having to constantly look over their shoulders for danger lurking behind. _To create peace..._ just as Ryuujin had said! To create peace for dragons! Already, they had made the start with the Valley of the Dragons. With a few more finishing touches, Kurogane would be able to secure their survival permanently.

"When dragons leave the valley to go hunting," he asked, trying to keep his excitement under control, "they hunt alone, don't they?"

Lightningstreak and Firebolt exchanged baffled expressions at his sudden question, which they believed to be totally irrelevant.

"That's how it is, isn't it?" he continued. "Outside of this valley I've never met any of you together. Whenever I've seen you you've always been alone."

"Well... yes," Lightningstreak said slowly. "Usually, the larger and stronger dragons go out and hunt deer, oxen, horses... anything large enough that can be shared with the others. The smaller ones usually bring back fruits, berries, roots... the earth dragons, being more in tune with nature than the rest of us, are the best for that job, especially now during the wintertime."

"What about water?" he demanded. "Is the water in the river sufficient? Is it enough for all of you?"

"We don't have any problems with the water," Firebolt said, perplexed.

"Shelter? Is there a lack of room or caves?"

"There're more than enough caves now that we're so few."

"How often do dragons leave the valley?"

"We leave to go hunting, exploring... we can't keep hunting or foraging in the same places so we continuously search for new places."

He frowned slightly. "Is the Valley insufficient for foraging?"

Lightningstreak pursed his lips. "No... there're lots of berry bushes and trees with nuts and fruit..."

"What about the animals that you usually hunt? I suppose they're aren't any in the Valley, are there?"

He shook his head. "Not as far as I know."

Kurogane nodded. "I knew it," he muttered under his breath. He turned to face them. "One last question... You said that the Guardians create illusions that keep the Valley hidden."

They exchanged looks and nodded.

"Have humans ever discovered the Valley?"

"Never," Lightningstreak said. "The Guardians have powerful Talent. If humans were to ever come near, they would only ever see an illusion of a landslide of rocks blocking the entrance. And if they tried to climb it, it would seem endless, created like that on purpose by the Guardians."

"How do you know the exact illusion?" Firebolt asked in surprise.

"It pays to have your girl in the business," Lightningstreak grinned.

Kurogane blinked. "Talent?"

"Oh... it's a term similar to your human magic, but it's not something we study. We're born with it being instinctive and we learn how to control it as it develops," Firebolt explained. "Every dragon has some form of Talent or other. Usually in accordance with which clan they belong to. You and I, being fire dragons, have pyrokinetic powers. That's out Talent."

"And my Talent is creating and controlling lightning," Lightningstreak said proudly. "And even though I'm a lesser air dragon, not all air dragons can do that," he added. "Most can simply read the weather."

"But elemental Talent is the only kind of Talent lesser dragons have. Basically, there are lesser dragons and greater dragons. The Heads of our clans can do more feats with their Talent because they're greater dragons and more stronger. The Guardians have Talent according to their elements just like the rest of us, but they've also developed other kinds of Talent, mostly dealing with psychological and spiritual aspects. Goldenridge and Silverthorn, being the strongest of us all, can do just about anything with their Talent. Once a dragon accepts the obligations that come with being either the Golden or the Silver Dragon, he or she automatically assumes the previous owner's Talent."

"I've heard it's a remarkable display. We're lucky that we're going to actually witness a transfer," Lightningstreak noted. He frowned. "I wonder who Silverthorn's going to pick. It's actually surprising that he's managed to last so long to die of old age rather than to be killed."

"And that's exactly how it's going to be with everyone else," Kurogane said strongly. "I'll have no more lives pointlessly thrown away."

"What're you going to do?" Firebolt asked him.

"I'm going to do just what Ryuujin wants me to do." Kurogane smirked. "I'm going to create peace for the dragons."

Lightningstreak arched an eyebrow. "And where do humans fit in this?"

"Simple." Kurogane met their gazes evenly. "They don't."

"They don't?" Firebolt exchanged looks with Lightningstreak. "What do you mean they don't?"

"Exactly that. We're going to create a real landslide to shut ourselves away from humans and stay in this valley. That way they'll think that we've finally managed to die out, and we'll finally be left alone in peace."

"I think he's interpreted the message differently from the rest of us," Lightningstreak murmured to Firebolt. "The only thing is, I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing."

"Well, it's _some_thing," Firebolt muttered back dryly.

"What we have to do is stick together," Kurogane mused. "When leaving the Valley we're always going to have to be in pairs. That way, we'll be able to cover each other's backs if trouble shows up. I don't think there'll be much trouble if we actually show how ferocious we can be instead of always running away, though. I've seen it with Pewterstone occasionally. He reveals his fangs, pulls back his lips, wrinkles the skin around his eyes a bit, and bellows loudly. That always makes humans run away if they're only a few of them. But a number over ten could prove a little difficult, especially the haughty type..."

Firebolt arched her brows and Lightningstreak titled his head to one side, both staring at him incredulously.

"Do you know what he's talking about?" Lightningstreak whispered.

"Do you?"

"The only real problem is food," Kurogane continued, pacing about in thought. "Specifically meat." He frowned. "Deer may be skittish but will be simple enough to drive in, however, oxen and horses are another matter... I wonder how big the Valley is so they'll be able to feed and breed without getting freaked out by our smell... horses are especially afraid of our scent..."

"I think he's lost his marbles," Lightningstreak muttered. "There's no other explanation for this endless babbling. I don't have a clue what he's talking about."

"Strangely... I think I get it," Firebolt said with a slow smile creeping up on her face.

"I beg of you, enlighten me. He's freaking _me_ out!"

"He's suggesting that we keep hunting, but not alone, so we won't be easy prey for the humans. And he's suggesting that we actually try to bring animals into the Valley to keep and breed so we won't have to leave the Valley to go hunting."

"That would mean paradise for those of us with large appetites," he said matter-of-factly, nodding.

"Like you? I trust you haven't forgotten that we're a community and we'd have to split and give equal shares to everyone," she said pointedly.

"Drat," Lightningstreak pouted. "But... however strange it sounds, it'd be preferable, you know?"

"I think he's got it, I really think he's got it." Firebolt grinned at him. "This is going to solve all of our problems! Wow, I never thought Blacksteel would've ever thought up of something like this! I'd always thought he was... you know... the go-kick-their-asses-and-have-it-over-and-done-with type of guy. This is better than I expected!"

"Er... I think there's one teeny tiny drawback," Lightningstreak said hesitantly.

"Like what?"

He indicated the small group of dragonlings who were currently being scolded by their parents. "What's everyone else going to say to this?"

Firebolt paused. "...We're so screwed."

"Totally."

———————————————

Suspicious gazes met theirs as they trudged through the muddy slush in the small town of Matsusaka. Passer-bys and merchants shot them shifty looks as they hurriedly stepped out of the way of their mounts, the road (if one could call it so) being too small for more than one horse to pass at a time. Vendors and dealers paused from calling people to come buy their products, gawking at the four riders as they passed, their mouths hanging open.

"Doesn't look like they see strangers that often," Fay murmured dryly to the others. "I'm glad we had the good sense to change our clothes, or else I'm sure they would have been staring even more."

"This is more than enough," Syaoran muttered. "I don't like the looks on their faces."

"Neither do I, but we do need to get provisions," he pointed out.

"Are we going to stay at an inn?" Sakura asked.

Fay stroked his chin lightly in thought. "Since we're in a town..." He left it hanging, glancing back at Syaoran.

The young adolescent shrugged. "It'd make a pleasant change from sleeping on the ground."

With that settled, they continued along until they reached a small square, a number of carts and stalls set up along its ends, buyers scuttling to and fro in their haste. To one side of the square was an adequate and squat building, with a sign above it indicating that it was an inn—a rather shabby inn—with stables for mounts.

"There's an inn," Syaoran said, pointing at it. "We could take two rooms for the night, leave our mounts there, and continue on foot to look for a place where we can buy provisions."

"Do we even have any money?" Sakura wondered worriedly.

"Kuro-sama must've left his money pouch in one of his packs," Fay surmised, dismounting. "Hang on and I'll look."

Syaoran sweat-dropped. "Fay-san... are you sure you should go looking through his things...?"

"No sweat," he grinned easily, coming up to Tomoyo's horse. "I'm sure he'll understand." He reached for one of the satchels and undid the strings tying it. "Now let's see..." he murmured, looking down at the pack's contents. His smile disappeared to be replaced by a prominent frown. His right hand plunged into the medium-sized sack and he began rummaging through it, his frown deepening the more he searched.

Syaoran raised a nervous eyebrow at Fay's sudden radical change in behavior, his serious expression decidedly unnerving him.

"This is definitely the wrong pack..." Fay muttered. "Looks like he's stashed all of his weapons in here..." He suddenly yelped in pain and withdrew his hand quickly. His forefinger was sporting a small cut which dripped a surprising amount of blood. "Uwaa... I nicked my finger on one of those sharp star thingies..."

Tomoyo inhaled sharply and grabbed his hand before he could insert the finger into his mouth to suck on the cut. "I hope it's not one of the poisonous ones," she said anxiously.

"Poisonous?!" Fay repeated in bewilderment, appalled that he had nearly stuck his finger into his mouth. "I didn't even know he could use star thingies! And poisonous ones at that! I thought Souma-san used them!"

"All ninja can use them," Tomoyo muttered, closely inspecting his cut. "It's just that Souma prefers them more whereas Kurogane prefers the sword. And they're called shuriken," she added. After a few moments she sighed in relief. "It's not poisonous." She took hold of her white cloak and tore a small strip of cloth from it. "Just let me tie it up for you so the bleeding will stop."

"Thanks, Tomoyo-chan," he grinned sheepishly. "I guess I should've kept my nose out of his pack the moment I saw it was full of his weapons."

"You should have," she agreed sternly. She leaned back slightly to peer into the pack herself. "He doesn't have much... and they're not all weapons... a few daggers, some rope, flint... he's also got shuko," she said in surprise. "Souma must've provided him with those."

"What're shuko?" Fay asked curiously.

"Shuko are something like metal claws you put on your hands. They're pretty useful for scaling walls."

"Wow," he chuckled. He looked up at the horse where Sakura and Syaoran were sitting. "We learn more about Kuro-pippi everyday."

Syaoran peered nervously around them. "At least everyone's too busy buying and selling to notice us now," he observed. "This must be some sort of a market square..."

"Well, let's look in the other pack," Fay said pleasantly, drawing the other one to him. "Judging by the squishy feeling, he's probably got some clothes in here." He undid the ties and pulled it open. "Let's see... black, black, black... he's not one to wear other colors, is he?" He continued to search through it until he frowned again. "What's this...?" he said, drawing out something that was definitely not black. "A sash...?" He held it out to the others.

Syaoran took the wispy little thing from him and looked down at it. The fabric was of a fine silk and soft to the touch, and it was a pale lavender color. "It's more like a scarf..." He drew it to his face and inhaled. "And... it smells like flowers..." He flushed slightly. "Er... is this yours, Princess?" he asked Tomoyo embarrassedly.

"No," she said evenly, her violet eyes hardening.

Syaoran sweat-dropped and looked at Fay. Fay simply spread his hands helplessly.

Sakura was blushing furiously when she snatched it from Syaoran and hurriedly stuffed it back in the pack. "That's none of your business," she said firmly. "And don't start thinking that Kurogane-san's done anything because he hasn't, all right?"

This only made Fay and Syaoran stare at her incredulously.

"It's for Tomoyo-hime," Sakura spluttered, her cheeks reddening even more. "He got it for her when we were in Sembia. Oh, dear, and he wanted it to be a surprise. I knew we shouldn't have been looking through his things..."

"Let me guess," Fay said, lifting an eyebrow. "You sensed him?"

She nodded. "He was really pleased about it because he really likes the way the color matches her eyes... and he wanted to give it to her... in private... when..." She moaned and covered her beet-red face with her hands. "I didn't mean to sense him! I can't help it if he's head over heels in love with her and thinks about her practically all the time!"

It was Tomoyo's turn to redden in embarrassment. She hastily covered her flaming cheeks with her hands, as if trying to hide the fact that she was blushing like mad. "Well..." she croaked, avoiding eye-contact with them. "Now I know I'm not the only one..."

Fay snorted and tried to keep himself from laughing as he continued sifting through the pack. "Found it," he managed to gasp as he revealed the money bag, hurriedly covering his mouth with his hands as soon as he had climbed his mount again. But such a feat was impossible for him, and he ended up collapsing over the saddle in helpless giggles.

———————————————

Kurogane screwed his face in disgust. "What's this supposed to be?" he asked, nudging the dead carcass at his feet with a prodding claw. He was not at all eager to eat something that looked like it had been stepped on.

"What was once an ox," Lightningstreak replied. He licked his lips hungrily. "If you don't want it, I'll be more than happy to take it off your claws," he offered.

"Lightningstreak, he has to eat something," Firebolt scolded him, ripping off a piece of meat from the dead horse she was eating. "If he collapses from hunger it'll be on your head."

"I still don't get why I had to get the scrawny horse," he complained. "There was hardly any meat on it! Does Pewterstone have a grudge on me or something?"

"It was kind enough of Pewterstone to actually give us the horses and the ox, which he wouldn't have unless Blacksteel was with us. Word of what happened to Moonbeam and who Blacksteel really is traveled fast. And, as you noticed, he got the best. So shut up."

Lightningstreak's ears drooped. "But I'm still hungry..."

"Stop whining and leave Blacksteel alone."

Kurogane shook his head. "You can have it," he grumbled, trying to ignore his rumbling stomach. "The idea of raw meat makes me queasy for some reason."

"Blacksteel, I could worship you now," Lightningstreak thanked him fervently as he began to devour the ox he had so graciously relented.

"Let's not go that far," Kurogane said dryly, looking around.

"Queasy?" Firebolt muttered, frowning. "Oh, I get it. You're still influenced by your human appetite. There's not need to worry. It's just like Goldenridge said. As the days pass, you'll become more and more dragon." And with that, she lowered her head again to eat.

_With what compensations?_ Kurogane thought bleakly. He shook his head and swished his tail restlessly. "I'll go browse around for a fruit tree or something," he said, turning from them. "It's hard to concentrate on anything else with my stomach interrupting me."

"I'm afraid you won't find anything now," Lightningstreak told him after a large swallow. "Nothing grows in the heart of winter."

Kurogane exhaled irritably. "I'll dig up some roots... or nuts... or... something," he mumbled.

Lightningstreak cut off a strip of meat with his talons and held it out to him. "There's only meat available in the wintertime."

Kurogane shook his head stubbornly. "No way am I going to eat something that's been dead for days!"

"Pewterstone killed it last night. It's as fresh as they come." Lightningstreak dangled the strip of meat in front of Kurogane eyes. "Come on, you've got to eat _something_," he urged, worried that Firebolt's predictions would prove true and Kurogane would collapse from hunger.

Kurogane's stomach grumbled rather loudly then, and his mouth began to water. His body was telling him that the piece of meat Lightningstreak was offering him was particularly delicious and juicy, but his mind was stubbornly clinging to the fact that it was raw and hardly edible. He struggled with himself, but, finally, his hunger won over. He snatched the strip and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing on it vigorously. His dragonish senses calmed as they savored the meaty flavor in his mouth, and he found that it was actually quite tasty. His eyes focused upon the carcass and he suddenly leaned forward and began to bite off large chunks of it with his teeth, gulping the meat down greedily.

Lightningstreak chuckled in amusement. "Boy, he sure is hungry!"

Firebolt observed Kurogane's eating-frenzy with a sour expression on her face. "By Ryuujin, he's acting just like you when you haven't eaten for days."

"Well, it's justified for him. He really hasn't eaten a thing for days."

"I suppose you're right." She shuddered. "You men can be such slops, though."

"It adds to our charm," Lightningstreak said smugly.

Firebolt snorted in disgust. "You think," she mumbled under her breath. She looked over at Kurogane again, who had managed to devour a good third of the meat by now. "Do you think we should go find Goldenridge and Silverthorn to tell them about Blacksteel's idea?" she asked the blue dragon.

Lightningstreak frowned. "Not yet," he decided. "I'm sure they'll suggest that Blacksteel tell the other dragons himself what he's thought up of, and his mannerisms are still... well..."

"Are still humanlike?" she offered dryly.

He nodded helplessly. "He sticks out like a sore claw."

Firebolt sighed, looking down at her own meal. "Seeing him eat like that made me lose my appetite."

"I'll finish it off," Lightningstreak said eagerly.

She shrugged. "Go right ahead."

As Lightningstreak bent down to polish off the rest of the horse, Firebolt edged a little to the side and let her gaze wander over the Valley. More dragons had emerged from their caves a few hours ago, and they were mostly keeping to themselves, as usual. Those who were close friends and acknowledged each other kept company, and all the small dragonlings were knit together like a small pack. There were only eight of them, however. Not enough for the next generation.

Firebolt sighed. She hoped that Kurogane's idea would be graciously accepted by the others, for she honestly believed that it was the only solution possible. She had originally thought that 'making peace' would involve having to get into contact with humans. She shuddered. She did not think she would have been able to stand it. However, Kurogane, when human, was different from other humans. There had been something dragonish about him even then, just as there was something human about him now as a dragon. He was certainly apart as he had furiously declared before. Neither a human, nor a dragon. Would the others accept him for this difference?

"Greetings, Firebolt," a voice suddenly rumbled behind her.

She turned around in surprise. "Thunderbell," she said with a smile. "It's great to see you again."

The large dragon bowed his head in acknowledgement, his turquoise scales gleaming in the orange sun's flickering rays. "I trust you are well?" His tone was formal, even though he did not speak using archaic language, which indicated his great age.

"Just fine."

"And...?" He cast a furtive look at Kurogane, who had just finished his meal and was now eyeing the pair of them warily.

"He's trying to adjust," she offered.

Kurogane nudged Lightningstreak and indicated Thunderbell. The smaller dragon nodded, and, swallowing one last bite, they came up to them.

"Long time no see, Thunderbell," Lightningstreak grinned sheepishly. "I'm afraid I'll admit that you caught us during lunch."

He raised a politely curious brow. "This late?"

"Yeah, well, we had a few matters to tend to before we could eat." He coughed and tilted his head slightly toward Kurogane.

Kurogane's eyes narrowed. "You could just say my name and get it over with," he grumbled.

"Blacksteel needed to learn about his task from Goldenridge and Silverthorn," Firebolt interjected, shooting a look of daggers at Lightningstreak.

Thunderbell nodded. "Goldenridge informed me of this when I spoke to her not ten minutes ago." His expression darkened. "Which reminds me of the reason I came to seek the three of you out."

"Specifically us three?" asked Lightningstreak in surprise.

Thunderbell shook his head sadly. "All of dragonkind, but Goldenridge asked me to specifically inform you three."

Firebolt shifted her weight nervously. "Has something serious happened for all of us to be needed?"

Thunderbell nodded, sighing heavily.

"What's wrong?" Kurogane asked worriedly.

"It is time," Thunderbell said solemnly. He met their gazes with his deep purple eyes squarely. "Silverthorn is dying."

———————————————

"I hope our supplies are going to last," Syaoran said anxiously, raising the heavy sack over his shoulder. It was too heavy for him and he nearly lost his balance, but he managed to catch himself before he fell over.

"Easy there, Syaoran-kun," Fay chuckled as he gripped the sack and raised it slightly so the brown-haired boy could straighten beneath it. "Are you sure you want to carry it? I could, you know."

Syaoran resolutely shook his head. "It's all right. I can manage."

"You sure?"

"It's okay." He hefted the bag slightly to get it in a better position and set off back to the inn with Fay trailing along beside him.

"I wonder what the girls are up to," Fay mused as he crossed his arms behind his head, his long strides a little difficult for Syaoran to keep up with the load on his back.

"I think I heard Sakura say something about bathing facilities." He smiled slightly. "She doesn't like getting dirty."

"No girl likes getting dirty," Fay chuckled. "They have a compulsive need for tidiness I'm afraid we'll never match. Not that I mind taking baths," he added hastily, "but sometimes it's a little difficult to properly bathe when outdoors. It's a great opportunity for all of us to get cleaned up now that we're staying at an inn, actually. I do have to admit I've got the impression that I'm getting quite aromatic, and I don't like the feeling."

Fay laughed and Syaoran grinned as they continued along the street to get back to the inn. They had been lucky that the store they had gone to for supplies wasn't that far—only around ten minutes away on foot. It was a relief that people did not pay them any notice now. Syaoran pointed this out to Fay and he replied that the incessant stares must have been due to the horses, since only people who were well-off could afford to purchase mounts.

They shortly arrived at the inn and climbed up the stairs, leaving the pack with the provisions in the room they were sharing before turning to the door next to theirs. Fay rapped on it smartly. "It's us," he called.

The door opened and they entered the room, Sakura closing it shut behind them. "That was fast," she noted as she settled down beside Tomoyo upon one of the sleeping pallets.

"The store wasn't that far," Syaoran shrugged, settling down on the other sleeping pallet across from them. "We got enough to last us a week."

"At least," Fay added, sitting down beside him and fondly scratching Mokona's ears. "Now all we need is a plan."

Sakura and Tomoyo exchanged looks.

"We've thought up of something ourselves," Tomoyo admitted. "We could use Sakura-hime's empathy to—"

"Empathy?" Syaoran interjected curiously.

"Her ability to sense emotions," Tomoyo explained. "It's called empathy."

Fay laughed weakly. "I could never remember that word," he grinned.

"As I was saying, by using Sakura-hime's empathy, I'm sure we'll be able to track Kurogane down. It proved so by pinpointing his location, after all. Once we reach those mountains, Sakura-hime will be able to tell us exactly where he is."

"But... wouldn't that mean coming into contact with other dragons?" Syaoran asked warily. "Not all of them take kindly to humans like Kurogane-san's friends. Won't it be dangerous?"

Tomoyo avoided eye-contact with him. "Of course it will be dangerous," she said quietly. "Which is why from then on, I'll be on my own."

"What?!" Fay said in surprise.

She nodded. "I can't put any of you in danger. It's too risky. I'll be safe," she assured them. "I'll use my magic to protect myself. Sakura-hime certainly can't come because she isn't that skilled yet in using active powers. Fay-kun has decided not to use his magic... and Syaoran-san doesn't have any magic..." She shrugged helplessly. "There's no other way."

"We can't let you go on your own," Syaoran protested. "Don't you remember what Tsukuyomi-sama said?"

"He'll start forgetting how it was like to be human and start becoming a real dragon," Fay supplied darkly.

"He might not even recognize you," Mokona piped up worriedly.

"Not to mention we have no idea how to change him back into a human," Syaoran added.

Tomoyo bowed her head and clasped her hands together. "I understand the dangers, and I realize the consequences..."

"Try to understand her," Sakura said, coming to her aid. "It's different for us and it's different for Tomoyo-hime. For us, it's our friend in danger, which would be enough for any one of us to risk our lives. But for Tomoyo-hime, it's her heart that's in danger. Kurogane-san means much more to her than to all of us put together."

Syaoran nodded in understanding. "I know how it's like," he assured the petite miko princess with a crooked smile. "And I know I'd do the same if I were in your place."

Tomoyo smiled warmly. "Thank you, Syaoran-san," she said softly.

Judging by Fay's expression, he was none too happy at the announcement, but he made no comment.

"Oh!" Sakura suddenly gasped and brought her hand to her chest.

"What's wrong?" Syaoran asked in alarm.

"I felt... something... just now," she said.

"Did anything happen to Kurogane?" Tomoyo demanded, her own hand flying to her heart.

"It's Silverthorn," she whispered faintly. "Kurogane-san's just discovered that... his oldest dragon friend is dying."

Fay bowed his head and brought his hand to his mouth, his expression serious. "You must've felt his surprise," he surmised.

Sakura nodded. "It was very sudden..." She bit on her lower lip. "Silverthorn was very kind to us, considering that he resented humans. I could feel it when we met him that he was close to his time... Kurogane-san knew it, too... but I could have never imagined that it would happen so soon..."

Syaoran sighed heavily. "He was a majestic creature..."

Mokona's ears fell and it climbed into Tomoyo's lap. "Kurogane must be feeling sad... I'd be feeling sad if a friend was dying..."

"So would I," Fay said sadly.

They all nodded in agreement.

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All of dragonkind had been summoned to Silverthorn's deathbed by the time Kurogane, Thunderbell, Lightningstreak, and Firebolt arrived. The dragons had come from all over the Valley—and beyond it—to pay their last respects to the Silver Dragon. It was traditional that each dragon say their last goodbyes him one by one, a feat possible both by their small number and by the fact that dragons were forewarned of their impeding deaths to accomplish it. Being over two millennia years old, Silverthorn was considered one of the oldest of their kind, and his death was a sorry event for them all.

Pewterstone nodded at the foursome and motioned them closer. His shiny steel-like scales appeared dark gray in the rays of the setting sun, and his expression was grim, heavily contrasting with his usual emotionless expressions. "Just wait for Sunbeam to finish paying her last respects, and then it'll be your turns." He forced a grin, a sign that indicated that he had been greatly affected by the turn of events as he almost never smiled. "Cutting it close, aren't we?"

"We were on the other side of the valley," Lightningstreak explained. "It takes a while to get here."

"Is Silverthorn in any pain?" Kurogane asked quietly.

Pewterstone hesitated before nodding. "Usually there is no pain; just a weary exhaustion. But he was pushing himself too much... what with the Guardians and your sudden arrival..."

A yellow dragon came up to them then, presumably Sunbeam. "It's your turn," she said quietly, before turning back to stand with the rest of the dragons.

Thunderbell nodded at Lightningstreak, and, swallowing hard, the younger dragon walked up to Silverthorn.

Silverthorn was lying on the ground, his wings unnaturally bent beneath him and his scales dimmer than Kurogane last remembered them. His chest heaved with his weak gasps for air, and he was taken over by racking coughs upon occasion. He was so weary that he could barely raise his head from the ground. Kurogane found it astonishing that he had appeared healthy and strong in the morning, heavily contrasting with his current self.

"But he looked perfectly all right in the morning," Firebolt said faintly, thinking along the same lines as him.

Pewterstone shook his head sadly. "That's because he was using his Talent to support himself. Goldenridge told me so. He wanted to continue with his obligations as if nothing was wrong."

Thunderbell frowned. "He should have known better."

"I think he did," he disagreed. "He just didn't want us to worry about him more than was necessary."

Lightningstreak returned to their sides at that moment and half-shrugged at Firebolt, indicating that it was her turn.

"Has he chosen his successor?" Thunderbell continued questioning Pewterstone.

"Nothing yet. But you know how these things are. After we've all said our last goodbyes, he'll declare it, the chosen dragon will step forward to receive his or her final instructions, and then he will die."

"Just like that?!" Kurogane demanded in horror.

He shrugged. "That's how it is."

Kurogane could feel hot grief threatening to overwhelm him, but he forced himself to remain emotionless.

A few minutes later, Firebolt returned, apparently shaken, and Thunderbell went to pay his own respects. After another few minutes, it was finally Kurogane's turn.

It was with a slight trepidation that he walked up to Silverthorn, the only person, counting both humans and dragons, whom he had ever held an unwavering respect for. Silverthorn had been his first encounter with dragons, the first one who had helped him understand what dragons were going through at humankind's expense. He had taught him their language, had advised him and cautioned him about his problems. And the best of all was that he had provided him with a father's kindness... a kindness that he had always longed for but had never found in his own father.

"Blacksteel..."

Kurogane was terribly surprised at how weak Silverthorn's voice had become. He nodded, swallowing hard. "Yes?"

"So... thou hast also come to pay homage to me?" His voice concealed a hidden note of irony that Kurogane recognized.

He shook his head and forced an awkward smile on his face. "I think I'll just settle on saying goodbye." He had decided that it would be better if he handled the situation with a dry sarcasm. Perhaps, by treating it lightly, he would be able to prevent his composure from breaking down and falling apart.

Silverthorn chuckled weakly, then was overcome by racking coughs. It took several moments for them to subside, and when they did, the silver dragon appeared more worn than before. "Art thou always... so droll... at a deathbed?" he croaked.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "This is the first time I've ever been present at one."

"But surely... thou art no stranger to death..." Silverthorn added shrewdly.

Kurogane had to hand it to him, he still had a sharp wit about him.

"It had always been evident... ever since our first meeting..." His glassy eyes regarded him intensely. "Thou art a warrior... and nothing can change that..."

Kurogane found himself frowning at his words. Had he finally gotten senile and was rambling? Or was he trying to tell him something more...?

"No matter how much... thou might hope for it..." Silverthorn continued, rasping. "Thou wilt never be able... to cleanse thyself... from all the blood... thou hast spilled..."

Kurogane bowed his head. If it was apparent to Silverthorn how deadly he was, then how apparent was it to the rest of the world? Would he ever be able to correct his past mistakes?

"However... thou hast changed... and greatly... since we last saw each other... years ago..." He coughed again, screwing his eyes shut in pain. He forced himself to continue speaking, his breathing difficult. "Thou... doth now realize... the true meaning of strength... even though... thy heart believes otherwise... when taking in account... all of thy crimes... both past... and present..."

Kurogane caught his breath in his throat. _How did he know?!_

"Thou!" Silverthorn finally managed to gasp, reaching up and gripping Kurogane's shoulder, pulling him down to him. It was surprising how much strength he still had left. "Thou... wilt be... my successor!" he croaked hoarsely.

The rest of the dragons began whispering excitedly amongst themselves, having heard Silverthorn's exulted cry.

"What?!" Kurogane demanded in stunned disbelief. "Me?!"

"Yes..." he wheezed, his breaths coming out in heavy gasps. "For... never before didst I encounter... such spirit... such loyalty... such strength... in one person... let alone one... who was born as a human..."

"But... but I can't become the Silver Dragon! I just can't!" Kurogane tried to protest. "I've already got too much on my hands! Don't put such a burden on me, please, Silverthorn!"

"Thou hast no choice... in the matter..." He drew a shuddering breath. "My decision hath been made..."

"Silverthorn! You can't do this to me!" he cried desperately. "I'm begging you, please, choose someone else! I don't know enough!"

He looked up at him through his glassy red eyes. "That is not the real reason..." he whispered accusingly. "Thou wished... for a chance to become... human again..." He coughed again, that same persistent, racking cough that made him weaker each time it plagued him. "Thou hadst a small hope... that somehow... thou couldst return... believing now... that there wilt never be a chance to return... if this burden becomes thine own..."

Kurogane momentarily stiffened, but he managed to brush the accusation aside, however true it was. "Please..." he said weakly. "Please, don't do this to me..."

"Doth this reluctance stem... from that princess... thou told me about once...?" he demanded, squeezing him, his talons digging into his shoulder.

Kurogane winced as he felt hot blood trickling down his foreleg, but he did not flinch under his accusing glare.

"Hast thou... feelings for her...?" he persisted, squeezing harder.

Kurogane gnashed his teeth together to withstand the pain, refusing to answer.

"Tell me!" Silverthorn began coughing again, his whole frame shuddering as he gasped for air. His eyes were slowly drooping shut, his grip steadily weakening. "Tell me..." he croaked.

Kurogane could feel the pain rippling through the silver dragon as if it were his own, and he was ringed with guilt for causing his old friend such suffering. "Yes, I do... I have feelings for her," he whispered, low enough so only he could hear. "I... I love her."

"And... thou wouldst be willing... to renounce all... to return to her...?"

Renounce all? Kurogane frowned, trying to understand what he meant. "I'd... I'd do anything for her!" he finally whispered vehemently.

"Renounce thy rightful claim... to success me... declare it... so all can hear!"

"Why?" he demanded, baffled at Silverthorn's strange behavior. He named him his successor and now he was encouraging him to refuse?

"Thou hast to... please..."

Kurogane could feel that Silverthorn was in agony, and he knew in that moment that he was dreadfully close to death.

"Quickly... there is not much time left..."

Kurogane swallowed hard and straightened, looking at the others. "I... I don't want to become the Silver Dragon," he said strongly. Gaining confidence from another squeeze, this time a gentle and encouraging squeeze, he plodded on. "I renounce my claim on Silverthorn's title... He chose me, but I do not choose it... I refuse to become the Silver Dragon!"

There was a stunned silence at his bold statement. The position had never been refused before, not once, not in thousands of years.

Silverthorn smiled up at him weakly. "And thy love... wilt be... thy weapon... for all is now clear to me..."

"Tomoyo?" he said in astonishment. "My weapon?"

He nodded. "Thou wilt be... nay... thou art even now in danger... of losing thyself..." His grip grew stronger. "Never forget... thou must decide... before thou wilt not be able to remember..."

"What are you talking about?" he asked faintly.

"Thou hast made a decision... for us... but thou must also make a decision... for thyself..."

"I don't understand," he protested.

Silverthorn coughed again, and this time he coughed up blood. "My successor... must willingly accept the title..." He turned his head. "Cloudbeard..." he said weakly. "Come closer..."

The startled pearly-white dragon hesitated before coming up to them. "Yes, Silverthorn?"

"Anticipating this... I have decided... that thou wilt be my successor..."

Cloudbeard appeared startled at being chosen, but he nodded determinedly, his worried blue eyes upon Kurogane.

Silverthorn looked up at the black dragon for a last time. "Remember her... do not forget her... or else... thou wilt forever be torn..."

"Silverthorn..." Kurogane clenched his teeth together. He could sense it. This was the end.

"Promise me..." he murmured in a small and hardly audible whisper. "Do not forget..."

He tried to blink back his tears. "I promise," he swore determinedly.

Silverthorn smiled one last time and sighed deeply. His smile did not waver even when the last remaining life in his eyes faded away. And he still held onto Kurogane's shoulder. A moment passed when nothing happened. Then Silverthorn began to glow with a silvery light. The light seemed to emerge from his body like vapor, and, hovering in the air, it flew to Cloudbeard and enveloped him in the same silver light.

"Silverthorn has succumbed to death," Goldenridge declared in a voice she tried to keep steady, "appointing Cloudbeard as his successor. May what you witnessed here be a confirmation that Cloudbeard is now the Silver Dragon."

As one, all of the dragons bowed their heads to Cloudbeard to indicate their respect and acknowledgement... all but for Kurogane, who had broken into convulsive and silent sobs over the death of his oldest and wisest dragon friend as he desperately grasped at the claw still holding onto his shoulder, mourning the loss of the only one whom he had ever dared to think of as something like a father.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** Erm... yes, I made Kurogane cry again... but it was totally justified and necessary! I'd already mentioned Silverthorn's impeding death in Chapter 16 and Kurogane's reaction then needed to match his reaction now. And as you can see, I expanded on the term 'Talent' in this chapter. As I said before, though, in L.E. Modesitt Jr's _Corean Chronicles_, it's only a term that means magic. I gave it my own meanings and embellishments to suit dragonkind.

You can see that Kurogane's starting to doubt humankind. Seeing the horrific acts they've done against dragons brings him more to their side, however, he's not blind to the fact that dragons themselves are imperious and proud. And, yes, he interpreted the message differently because he was meant to interpret it differently. Basically, what he's thinking of is forting up the Valley. I'll expand on that in the next chapter... in a way, teehee.

Oh, yes, and all of those town names and villages I mentioned... Check out a map in Japan and you may see some similarities... XD

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	20. Lord Of The Dragons

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 20 — Lord Of The Dragons**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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Kurogane sighed heavily and laid his large, wedge-shaped head upon his crossed forelegs. He eased his weight slightly, grunted, then closed his eyes. A few moments passed before he opened them again, shifting his hind legs into a more comfortable position. He made a satisfactory noise, then settled down to sleep again. He soon opened his eyes, exhaling in frustration. This time, it was his tail getting in the way. He quickly curled it around himself, flexed his claws, and lowered his head... only for the tip of his tail to jab him in his left nostril.

He grumbled irritably and raised himself from the cold stone floor of the cave. _His_ cave, he corrected himself dryly. There were so many fissures and openings abandoned and left uninhabited in the mountainside that it would have been ludicrous if he did not take one for his own use. At least that was the way Lightningstreak had voiced his feelings about the matter after practically shoving him inside, pleasantly informing him that he would be in the next cave if he needed anything. Ironically, Kurogane had to admit that this cave was unnaturally close to most of the caves his friends were occupying, as if they had taken it upon themselves to care for him, teach him, and guide him in the dragon ways.

More like imprison him, he thought sardonically.

Kurogane shook his head and snorted softly, flames emitting from his nostrils. He had gotten so used to the occasional bursts of fire that he hardly noticed them anymore. But he had yet to consciously belch fire like a real fire dragon, except in the initial moment of his transformation. Actually... he _had_, he reminded himself darkly. In the fight he had found himself in with Moonbeam. Despite Goldenridge's assurances that Moonbeam had been a rebellious dragon that had eventually had to be stopped, Kurogane did not like it at all that the task had so conveniently fallen to him. Another person's blood was on his conscience. _Again_. Kurogane desperately wanted to end that aspect in his life, to put a stop to it once and for all. But for some reason, death followed him everywhere, along with him severing more and more lives. Silverthorn had been able to sense that even from their first meeting...

A lump formed in Kurogane's throat and he forced himself to draw deep breaths to calm himself. Ever since Silverthorn's demise two days ago, Kurogane could never seem to control himself whenever he was reminded of his old friend. And to his disappointment, the reminders were many. He wished that he could have told Silverthorn about his plans to fortify the valley before it had been too late. Kurogane was sure that if he had only told Silverthorn, the rest of the dragons would have been more receptive of the idea.

Kurogane had outlined his careful plan to the entire community that morning, after discussing it at length with Firebolt, Thunderbell, Pewterstone, Lightningstreak, and, surprisingly, Evenstar the previous day. He had explained in great length his plans for bringing livestock for them to feed on which would ensure that none would go hungry. Pewterstone and Lightningstreak had been slightly dubious about it, for they were notorious for their large appetites, but, as Evenstar had so pointedly reminded them, dragons needed nourishment only once every five to six days, which would certainly ensure the beasts to spread. They had all agreed that it was a good plan, a plan that would certainly provide them with all that they would need, and so, Kurogane had hastened to inform Goldenridge. There were loopholes—Kurogane knew that very well—but in his humble opinion it was the best that he could come up with on such short notice.

Goldenridge had appeared neither excited nor distrustful of the idea. She had merely nodded in silent approval and had given him her consent to spread the word to the other dragons. Kurogane had done so that morning, only after encouraging his friends to scout out of the Valley for possible herds to accumulate. He had been hesitant at first since they were an uneven number of five, for he did not want any of them to leave the valley on their own, but Starbreeze had cheerfully offered to bring the numbers into balance when Lightningstreak told her of what Kurogane had planned. At least she had been receptive of his idea, Kurogane reflected moodily, unlike everybody else.

When Kurogane had gathered the rest of the dragons and had informed them of his plans, there had been an immediate uproar. Some of them protested that it was not right for them to go into hiding for a crime they did not commit, while others supported that it should be the humans who should retreat into seclusion. Others still had violently demanded at the reason for letting humans get away with killing off so many of their kind, which was strengthened by cries of agreement that they should launch an attack and kill off as many humans as they could in vengeance. Still more louder rang out the complaints of those who had dragonlings, refusing to raise their young in a world where they would not be able to be free. And then there had been mutterings, dark and murderous mutterings, that Kurogane was not trying to help them out of charity, but, being born as a human, he felt more inclined to inconvenience dragonkind. He had tried to explain that that had not at all been his intention, but he was overruled by the larger and more hotheaded dragons.

All in all, it had been a complete and total catastrophe.

Kurogane was forced to relive the whole sorry tale to his friends when they had returned later that afternoon. They had sympathized with him, but still, that had not been enough to wash away his humiliation—a feeling that he was not used to—at dashing their hopes with his inability to cope with the sudden upheaval. He could have tried to use force to strengthen his position, but he had refrained from doing so in fear of a result similar to that of Moonbeam. He supposed that he should have given his plan more thought before deciding to make it official. Perhaps that had been the problem. When he had confided his worries in Evenstar, she had assured him that his plan was flawless, but it was due to the rest of the dragons living in their denial that it would not work out. "We do not take kindly to change," she had told him solemnly.

Kurogane exhaled loudly and settled down on the floor again. Nothing seemed to be going according to plan. _Nothing_. A gnawing anxiety persisted in tormenting him, reminding him malevolently that he only had four days left to help dragonkind. His expression became lour. Did he even want to help them? They did reject his efforts, didn't they? He snorted. No matter how much he resented it, he knew that he couldn't just abandon them... especially his dragon friends. He wanted to help them. He wanted to protect them. But something was definitely in the way. Why couldn't he protect them? He scowled and frowned. His plans weren't perfect. He had missed something, something dreadfully important. But what? He couldn't for the life of him put his finger on it, no matter how much it nagged at him. Kurogane was not a person who easily gave up. There had to be another way, something else he could come up with. But then again, he reflected morosely, maybe there wasn't...

Maybe he was just fooling himself, trying to convince himself that his efforts were not futile and that he would find a solution soon enough. Maybe he was just determined that he would be able to find a solution and put an end to this nonsense once and for all. Maybe he was just hoping beyond hope that when all this was over he would be able to go back to his old life... return home...

Kurogane opened and closed his claw, observing his steel-like talons. It had been three days since he had turned into a dragon. Three days... And all the while, he was becoming more and more dragon. In truth, he didn't feel any different than when he had started out as a dragon. He didn't feel as if a battle were taking place inside of him. He didn't feel as if he were becoming a real dragon. Even so, the thought that his transformation had not yet completed was starting to give him second thoughts. Did it... did it possibly mean that there was still some hope that he could become human again? That he could return to his home? To... Tomoyo?

What had Silverthorn said? Kurogane scratched reflectively at his cheek as his words came flooding back. Silverthorn had said that he was in danger of losing himself. That he had to decide something about himself before he would forget. And that no matter what, he had to remember Tomoyo. Was that what Goldenridge had meant? That, as he started becoming more dragon, he would start forgetting how it was to be human until he became a full dragon? He started in sudden realization. Did that mean that... _he was losing his memories?_

It was so reminiscent of Princess Sakura's own problem that he was inclined to laugh out loud at the stunning similarities. He supposed that now he would be able to understand how she felt. Only... _his_ memories would be irretrievable, he surmised bleakly. He certainly wasn't going to lose them all at once in the form of feathers. He chuckled, picturing the comic scene. No, his memories would probably seep out of him slowly, without him even realizing it. He sat up straighter. Did that mean that he had already lost some of his memories? It had been three days since his transformation, and four more days until his total conversion to a full dragon. Undoubtedly...

He tried to think back on recent events, screwing his eyes shut as he tried to remember. He could recall them pretty much. Traveling to different worlds for four years in search of memories in the forms of feathers with his friends: Syaoran, Sakura, Fay, and Mokona. He hesitated, wondering how they were faring. They were probably off in some other world now, continuing their journey in retrieving the feathers. He sighed heavily. He wished that he could have said a proper goodbye instead of... running away like that. At least to tell them how much he appreciated them...

And then there was Tomoyo. How he desperately wanted to see her again. He needed her to understand that he still cared for her. He needed to tell her, to explain his actions for running away. He had been terrified. Terrified to see the fear, the pity, and the confusion reflecting on all of their faces. But how could he ever hope to explain himself? How could he ever explain _why_ he was a dragon?

"Oh, it's because of a divine prophecy some soothsayer or other mentioned at my birth," he started grumbling under his breath. "I wasn't conceived normally, my father's the god of the dragons, my mother's some sort of noblewoman I've never seen or heard of before, I'm the strongest warrior in the world, unique because of being a dragon born as a human, and I have an extremely complicated destiny. Why's it so complicated? Well, besides being cursed for my killing-obsession and skipping around other dimensions, I was also destined to become a peacemaker and save dragonkind from extinction..."

And then it suddenly dawned on him. Of course! Why hadn't he realized it sooner? How could he have been so blind? He began to swear sulphurously under his breath. He knew what Goldenridge had said didn't sound right! She had said that dragons mated to reproduce only once in their lives, and, even then, they only produced one member of their kind. If it had always been so, then they had been doomed from the beginning, and nothing Kurogane did or didn't do would make a difference.

Kurogane got to his feet and raced to the entrance of his cave. He understood that the time was late, but he badly needed a second opinion. With a few flaps of his massive wings, he was airborne. He couldn't help but grin to himself as the cool night air rustled past him. Flying was always a pleasant experience.

He flared and clawed at the edge of a cave entrance, tucking his wings behind him. Still gripping onto the ledge, he tentatively extended his scaly neck. "Firebolt?" he whispered loud enough so she could hear while trying to keep his voice low so he would not wake anyone else. "Are you awake?"

"I am now," came her grumbling reply. There was a loud rustling of scales as she slithered to the entrance, her shimmering green eyes fixing him with an irritated look. "What's so important that couldn't wait until morning? I finally managed to get to sleep until you came along."

"Sorry," he apologized hastily, not wanting to agitate her further. "I just wanted to ask you something that you and Goldenridge mentioned when you were all telling me about my task and everything. It only just made sense. It's pretty important," he added hastily.

She took a step to the side to allow him more room to enter, settling down on her haunches a little way away from him. "I'm listening." Her tone was ringed both with displeasure and mild curiosity.

"Well..." Kurogane fidgeted slightly, not exactly certain how to phrase his words. "It's basically... about dragon mating flights."

Firebolt made a peculiar sound in her throat, something registering either outrage or incredulity, it was hard to tell. "What about them?" However, despite her reaction, her tone was not condemning.

"Well, Goldenridge said that dragons could only rise to mate once—"

"That is incorrect," she interrupted briskly. "Dragons rise during specific seasons to mate in accordance to which clan they belong to, and, of course, depending on their age. Earth dragons mate in spring, water dragons in summer, air dragons in autumn, and fire dragons in winter. Metal dragons are the sole exception, for they are able to rise during any season. Some dragons maintain fixed mates while others tend to choose those who are the biggest and the strongest. Basically, dragons that can fly for extended periods of time without tiring during the ritual. Stamina also plays an important role in mating flights. And acrobatics. If you don't impress your partner-to-be, you'll be sorely outsmarted by the rest of your opponents."

"Well, yes, but besides that," Kurogane interjected quickly, floundering at her cynical observations, "Goldenridge said that no matter how many times a dragon mates, he or she can only reproduce once. And you seconded her statement."

"That is true," she admitted, nodding. Her eyes narrowed. "Why does the mating cycle interest you?"

"It doesn't interest me personally," he said defensively, squirming under her scrutinizing look. Trying to brush it away, he shrugged before continuing, "Has that always been the case? Since the beginning?"

"As far as I know, yes," she replied, eyeing him speculatively. "Our Records do not go as far back as our first ancestors, however."

Kurogane leaned forward slightly, his own look speculative. "Doesn't that seem odd to you? I mean, there must have been thousands of dragons in the past. What happened?"

"Humans happened, Blacksteel," she said coolly. "Humans used to revere us as mystical creatures and always respected and honored us. But when the feud began..." She shook her head. "The past cannot be changed."

"I'm not talking about the blood feud. I'm talking about the low number of births."

"How can you use that term when there is only ever one dragonling born from two dragons?"

"Exactly," Kurogane pointed out emphatically. "Only one dragonling to two dragons. That's impossible."

She arched a brow in interest. "How so?"

He snorted incredulously. "Can't you see? Dragonkind is a doomed race. You're basically halving your population with each new generation with this peculiarity. It's against nature. I'm not trying to justify humans by not blaming them fully," he said quickly, raising a claw in supplication when he saw her ready to retort, "but can't you see that with each new generation there are less and less dragons? And not just because of humans."

Firebolt peered at him intently, her eyes almost glowing in the faint moonlight. "Go on," she said slowly.

"Every species regenerates in accordance to its needs. Rabbits multiply rapidly because they're easy prey for strong predators, like eagles, a species that doesn't face such a problem because of being in a superior position in the food chain. Dragons are in a similar position, the only difference being that humans began to hunt you down after one point in history, which brought upon an excelled reduction to your numbers. Can't you see that due to _both_ your low birth rates and to humans eliminating you you're facing a premature extinction? An extinction that was probably inevitable from the start due to this anomaly?"

Firebolt did not reply at first. She appeared to be in deep thought, her expression unreadable as she tried to digest what Kurogane had just told her. After what seemed like an eternity, she raised her head. "I... I'd never thought about it in such a way before... I mean..." She struggled to express herself. "I knew something was wrong. I've lived close to four centuries, and I could see that our numbers were lessening with each generation. It was painstakingly obvious that we were dying out ever since the feud first began... everyone said so... but... because it happened so long ago... I'd always thought that it was due to the humans. The fact that we reproduce so slowly may seem like an impossibility to you because you were raised differently, which is probably the only reason you realized there was a problem when the rest of us had simply taken it for granted as a way of life. It's never been different."

Kurogane grunted in satisfaction. "You understand the problem now, don't you?"

"Of course I do. But I suppose the real problem is what we're going to do about it."

"I'm not going to do anything," Kurogane said flatly.

"What?" she said in surprise.

"How do you expect me to go out and try to help those morons who wouldn't even listen to me the first time I tried? If I try again, this time with something even more ludicrous to tell them than before, they'll be howling for my blood. And anyway, how _do_ you expect me to do anything about it? Judging by how serious the situation is, it'd take who knows how much power to fix it. It's not like I can fix it myself. I'm no mage. And besides, who knows if a mage even _can_ do anything about it?"

She exhaled in frustration, twisting her tail around herself. "Then what was the point? Why do we even exist if we were doomed to die from the start?"

"That's what I intend to find out," he said grimly, getting to his feet.

"And I thought you didn't want to help," she muttered accusingly.

"Don't twist my words around. I only said that _I_ wasn't going to do anything about it. I didn't say that I wasn't going to help."

"Even so, how're you going to do that?" Firebolt demanded incredulously. "You wouldn't even know where to start!"

Kurogane's mouth tightened. "You forget just exactly who I am," he reminded her darkly as he walked up to the cliff's edge.

"You're the Dragon Lord. So what? How's that going to help you? This isn't what you were chosen to do! This is beyond you!"

"Of course it's beyond me. I thought I made that clear before." He smirked. "But I may know someone who can. Figuratively speaking, of course."

"Who?"

He looked back over his shoulder at her. "I _should_ get to know my father, shouldn't I?" And with that, he spread his wings and soared down from the cave.

———————————————

They left Matsusaka early that morning and set off at a measured pace along the Highway, reaching Nigachi early that evening. They stayed at another inn for the night, none of them broaching the subject that sooner or later had to be discussed—whether or not Tomoyo would continue on her own once they had reached the Valley. Fay was obviously wrought at her decision, but he avoided expressing his concerns. Syaoran was also worried, more so because they had not yet discovered a way to turn Kurogane back into a human again, but he could understand Tomoyo's sentiments all too well to have the heart to defy her. Mokona was particularly agitated about the whole situation and kept trying to keep all of them company, trying to ease everyone's pain and guilt. And although Sakura was terribly anxious for Tomoyo, she respected her friend's decision.

The two girls had grown close since their first meeting at Shirasagi, and they usually sat together away from the others to talk quietly between themselves. Despite their age difference, Tomoyo being several years older than Sakura, they had the same height, which only enhanced Tomoyo's petite stature. Fay remarked to Syaoran that it was only logical for Sakura and Tomoyo to seek each other's company because girls only ever felt at ease together. He also surmised that Sakura had tired of constantly being in the company of men. Syaoran had been perplexed at the older man's observations, and had asked why Sakura would ever get tired of their company since they had all been traveling together for so long and had become friends. Fay had merely chuckled, replying cryptically that there were some things that girls could not possibly discuss with men no matter how close they were. His answer had only helped in confusing poor Syaoran even more.

They set off for Minakotsu the next day, following the left-hand route as they had planned. The road was undeniably longer, for they still hadn't reached the town by nightfall, so they set up camp a little way from the road. Syaoran found the opportunity to examine the map again and judged that they would reach Minakotsu by late afternoon in less than two days' time.

"After that it'll only be another day's trek before we reach Jorsan—if we stay at another inn in Minakotsu and don't press on and set up camp—and then around half a day before we reach the valley." He promptly rolled up the map and stuffed it back into his pack. "We're making pretty good time," he said in a lighthearted tone. "I suggest we don't stop at Minakotsu so we can gain half a day."

"Well, the sooner we find him, the better," Fay agreed, stroking the fire with a long stick. He removed the small lid from the steaming pot and peered at its contents. "And it looks like dinner's ready!" he cried jubilantly, bustling over to one of the horses to fetch some bowls.

"Does Fay seem to have a fixation with making soup or is it just me?" Mokona asked the group at large, bringing a paw to its chin in speculation. It hopped over to the fire and sniffed at the air. "Specifically vegetable soup."

Sakura giggled and gathered the white creature in her arms. "It's simple, efficient, filling... and Fay-san _is_ a good cook," she added, scratching its ears good-naturedly.

"But still, eating isn't as much fun without Kurogane around!" it complained bitterly. "Who is Mokona going to steal food from?"

Even Tomoyo laughed at that. "Mokona's a devious little imp, isn't it?" she said affectionately, standing up to help Fay serve the meal. She grinned in remembrance. "Whenever I'd invite Kurogane's family to Shirasagi, Suzue-chan would tease Kurogane in a similar fashion, taking morsels of his food when he wasn't looking. The way he glowered at her..." Tomoyo shook her head, grinning. "But he would never lose his temper in front of Kumaso Ito."

"His father, if I remember correctly?" Syaoran inquired.

Tomoyo nodded and shrugged helplessly.

"But not his biological father," Fay piped up, handing him his bowl. "Hmm... now that I think about it," he muttered thoughtfully, "in a way, he's illegitimate." He snickered, a devious glint in his eyes. "And he calls _me_ a bastard!"

Syaoran was in the act of swallowing soup and choked in surprise at Fay's sudden observation. Sakura instinctively began pounding on his back with her fists to help him cough it all back up, even though it wasn't the proper way of handling someone who was choking.

"Is that the correct term in this case?" Fay continued innocently, extending his arm to Sakura to hand her her own bowl, seemingly not taking note that she was trying to help Syaoran from suffocating. "I mean, his father's a god and he wasn't conceived normally... Hey, is there a term for someone who hasn't been conceived normally?"

"I don't think there's ever been a similar occasion, Fay-kun," Tomoyo said weakly, sweat-dropping. "At least none that I've ever heard of."

"Does it really matter?" Mokona added, clambering up his shoulder. "Kurogane will always be Kurogane, no matter how he was born!"

"Are you so sure? He _is_ a dragon now, in case you didn't notice."

"But Kurogane's still Kurogane," Mokona said stubbornly. "Just because he _looks_ different doesn't mean he _is_ different."

"I think Moko-chan's got a point there," Sakura murmured reflectively, giving Syaoran one last reassuring pat. "Despite Kurogane-san's transformation, he'll still act with the same mannerisms he had when he was human."

"You do remember that he's becoming more and more dragon, don't you?" Fay reminded them pointedly. "Which probably means that he'll be losing his human traits and start becoming wild and uncivilized?"

"He was wild and uncivilized before he turned into a dragon," Mokona shrugged.

Fay couldn't help but laugh at that all too true statement. "Why, yes, he did have that unusual temperament from the start, didn't he?"

"Personally, I'm more worried about the other dragons attacking us," Syaoran started slowly, clearing his throat. "However much Kurogane-san has changed, he'd never hurt us intentionally."

"Kuro-ryuu is a good dragon!" Mokona tittered in agreement.

Fay roared with laughter, slapping his knee with mirth. "Oh, Mokona, you're precious! I was running out of ideas for new names!" He fondly kissed Mokona's cheek. "I can't wait to see him again and begin pestering him!" He chuckled evilly. "This dragon business has given me brand-new things to torment him with! Oh, joy!" He suddenly straightened and put his hands at his waist, thrusting his chest out and drawing his shoulders back, assuming a haughty bearing. "Kuro-ryuu, the illegitimate dragonman." His voice rang out proudly with his bold statement, as if his announcement were the most startling news of the century.

Sakura and Syaoran snorted with ill-suppressed laughter, and even Tomoyo had a hard time stifling her giggles.

Mokona cocked its head to one side. "Do you think you should start calling him that, Fay?" it asked him with genuine worry. "I don't think Kurogane will know what 'illegitimate' means."

_"AHAHAHAHA!"_ Fay doubled-over with mirth, clutching at his stomach as he gasped for air.

———————————————

The snow was crisp and cold beneath his feet. His breaths steamed in the air as he drew deep breaths, surveying his surroundings. He nodded slightly as he continued to climb to the top of the hill, the sun's rays making his black scales shine in the daylight. No sooner had Kurogane reached the top than he spread his wings to their fullest extent, the muscles in his shoulders and chest rippling. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Yes, he supposed this hill would do just nicely. No one else was around and he was well out of earshot. He was also out of sight. The perfect angle of the medium-sized hillock would be able to warn him if anyone chanced upon him uninvited.

Flapping his wings a few times, he folded them across his back as he looked around one more time, just to make sure. You could never be too careful, especially with people who thought of you as a parasite upon their society.

Kurogane raised his head to the sky, drawing a deep breath. "Ryuujin!" he called. "I need to talk to you!"

He waited for a reply, but none came.

He exhaled irritably. "Did you hear?! I need a word with you!"

He waited for a few moments, but nothing happened.

He flicked his tail impatiently. "I really need to talk to you, Ryuujin!"

Again, silence.

He began to pace around, tossing his head back as he stomped through the snow, growling furiously. Who did that Ryuujin think he was, ignoring him? He already so conveniently got out of telling him of his task in person. He didn't have the right to ignore him any longer!

"Look, I know you can hear me!" he bellowed, quickly losing his patience. "You're going to have to face me sooner or later! You can't keep ignoring me forever!" He raised his face to the sky, gnashing his teeth together in frustration. "I'm your son!" he roared. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?!"

Kurogane waited for a few moments, then snorted incredulously for even expecting an answer. "Fine, do what you want! See if I care! I'm not going to waste my breath on the likes of you! Let your precious little dragons die off, for all it's worth! That's just fine by me!"

He turned around and made to leave, his anger starting to get out of control, but he froze in his tracks when a sudden dazzling light appeared before him, blinding him. He screwed his eyes shut and raised a foreleg to protect his eyes. When his vision began to clear and the pulsing white light began to fade away, he cautiously opened an eye. He thought he could make out a hazy shape in the intense brightness, so he slowly lowered his foreleg and opened his eyes.

His jaw dropped open in astonishment.

For then, in all of his splendor and glory, Ryuujin appeared to stand before him. Rainbow-colored scales gleamed in the sunlight and wings spread wide to reveal many-hued transparent membranes as the mighty dragon raised his head and bellowed ferociously, revealing golden teeth the same color as his claws and spiraling horns. His thick mane was also golden-colored, as was his spinal ridge, that crawled down his back to his spiked tail. Crystal-like eyes regarded him, revealing everything, and yet nothing, in their swirling depths.

"Now," Ryuujin rumbled in a deep voice, "what does my son find so important that he ignored all the conventional niceties to get my attention?" He chuckled wryly. "Well, I can most certainly assure you that you now have my rapt attention!"

Kurogane raised a brow in perplexity. Judging by his dynamic entrance and everything that he had heard of him, Kurogane had been expecting Ryuujin to be a proud and stiff-necked personage, but by his words and manner of speaking he appeared to be quite the opposite. Kurogane felt that he had to rethink his tact somewhat.

"I didn't think you were going to come," he admitted uneasily. "I didn't even know if you could hear me."

"From the moment you invoked my name I heard every single word."

"Then why didn't you answer my call immediately?" he demanded suspiciously.

"You appeared to be having so much fun blaming me for everything that I didn't want to interrupt your tirade."

Ryuujin's tone was so matter-of-fact that Kurogane sweat-dropped and keeled over, spluttering.

"Well, now that you're obviously over your emotional outburst, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about, Kurogane? I thought I distinctly heard something about dragonkind's rapid decline?"

It took Kurogane a moment to organize his thoughts, and another to realize that Ryuujin had just called him by his proper name.

"Well?" Ryuujin said expectantly.

Kurogane drew himself up, straightening. "I wanted to talk to you about a peculiarity dragons have."

"Oh?" He raised a curious brow. "What peculiarity is this?"

"No matter how many times a dragon mates, he or she can only reproduce once," Kurogane said quickly, cutting down to the chase. "Only one dragonling is ever born from two dragons."

Ryuujin's eyes narrowed. "What about it?"

"It's... it's impossible. Dragons can't possibly survive if they don't produce more offspring. They're a doomed race." Kurogane couldn't help but shrink under his piercing gaze, wondering perhaps if he had gone too far.

Ryuujin looked at him steadily for several long moments. "That is no mistake," he growled, swishing his tail around himself. "That is a curse." His lips suddenly pulled back in a grimace. "A curse I laid upon dragonkind thousands of years ago."

"It's a curse? And... and _you_ cast it?"

He nodded. "Dragons are too proud. They think only of themselves. Before the blood feud, humans held them in high esteem, honoring them and presenting them with offerings as they did to gods. Dragons took it upon themselves and began acting like spoiled children. They needed to be taught a lesson, a lesson they still have not learned. They must learn humility before they can be saved."

"Then what was the blood feud for?" he demanded heatedly. "If you'd already cursed them..."

"But they did not know that they were cursed. And they are still ignorant of it."

"Then the blood feud was only another way for them to learn humility?!"

"No," Ryuujin said strongly. "It is true that it was because of humans that the blood feud began. However, dragons continue to act imperiously, even though they fully realize that they are dying as a race. Although they are cooperative, helpful, and sympathetic to each other's plights, they do not see past their own society. They do not care about others. They care only about themselves."

"Sounds familiar," Kurogane muttered.

Ryuujin grinned. "Yes, humans are quite similar in that aspect. However, humans evolved into what they are today due to the circumstances demanding it. Dragons, being gifted with longevity, are not as willing and able to adept to changes as quickly as humankind."

"I always thought dragons were better than humans. They had honor. They had ideals. They had ethics and morals." Kurogane looked up at him and shrugged exaggeratedly. "At least I thought they did."

Ryuujin chuckled. "Every race has select individuals who are as you described them. And then again, every race always has select individuals who are the complete opposite. No race is without such discriminations."

Kurogane had noticed it upon occasion, so he did not say anything.

Ryuujin flicked his ears. "Now then, for you to be telling me about the curse... You wish to rectify it?"

Kurogane squirmed slightly. "The reason I wanted to talk to you was to ask you if you could do something about it." He shifted his weight slightly. "I mean, well, I was created for the sole purpose of creating peace for dragonkind. But if I accomplish it, it'll be like I didn't do anything. They'll die out anyway."

"Oh, Kurogane," Ryuujin sighed, shaking his head, "you weren't born solely to create peace for dragonkind. That's the least of your troubles."

"What?!" he said quickly.

Ryuujin's thin lips curved. "You could say that all we did was give you a proper push in the right direction." He suddenly chuckled deeply. "But I'm confusing you even more than before. I'd better not." He flexed his talons reflectively. "However..." Ryuujin looked up at him. "You are a unique being," he said quietly. "It is true that we did initially decide to create you to help dragonkind, but fate decided to twist things around. You are also one of the Chosen Ones. A member of the Fellowship of the Beloved One."

Kurogane frowned. For some reason, those terms sounded strangely familiar, but he couldn't recall where he had heard them before.

"In accordance to the Prophecy regarding you and your companions," he explained.

Kurogane felt even more confused than before. What prophecy was Ryuujin talking about? He remembered nothing about a prophecy. His frown deepened. What was the matter with him? Why couldn't he remember?

"I understand how frustrating it is to deal with dragons," Ryuujin said then, misinterpreting his expression, "but try to reason with them just one more time. Try to persuade them again about forting up the valley. Tell them of the curse. If anyone can talk some sense into them, it's you."

Kurogane snorted. "Yeah, right."

"I have complete confidence in you," Ryuujin assured him. He spread his wings. "If dragons reform, I will remove the curse. Tell them that." And without another word, he was gone in a flash of blinding light.

Kurogane had to blink several times to clear his vision. He raised his head, looking at the spot where Ryuujin had just stood. "Well," he muttered under his breath, "that was certainly illuminating."

He shook his head and scowled as he unfurled his wings. Why did he have the feeling he was missing something? He tried to ignore it as he crouched low, extending his wings to their fullest. He deepened the crouch slightly just as he kicked away from the ground with his powerful hind legs, catching a thermal that propelled him high into the air.

He hovered and closed his eyes, savoring the feel of the wind caressing his face. He felt wild and free whenever he was flying, as if he had found the perfect means of escape from all of his problems. But his talk with Ryuujin had managed to remind him that he had responsibilities. Kurogane flapped his wings a bit, rising higher into the air. He supposed that he should try to talk to the others and bring them back to their senses, at least one more time.

It didn't take him very long to reach the cliff-side where most of the inhabited caves were situated. There were a number of dragons flying in the air, drifting around in lazy circles. For the most part, they ignored him, but some of them did cast him shifty looks when they thought he wasn't looking.

"Hey! Blacksteel!"

Kurogane banked to the right to turn around and face a grinning Lightningstreak.

"Where were you this morning?" he demanded before Kurogane even had a chance to open his mouth. "Firebolt wasn't making much sense when I asked her. She said something about mating flights, dragonlings and Ryuujin. She was probably still half-asleep so she couldn't give me a coherent answer, but still, it was more than when I asked everybody else where you'd gone. I was getting a little worried, but Thunderbell and Pewterstone kept telling me not to worry because you weren't an irresponsible person and it didn't really matter where you went since there's probably not anything you can do for us anymore since everyone else practically—"

"I get it!" Kurogane said quickly, cutting off his long-winded speech. His mouth twitched slightly. "How about we find the others first? Then I'll explain."

"They're over at the riverside." Lightningstreak twisted himself in the air as he tucked his wings behind him and started speeding downward.

Kurogane shook his head. Really, Lightningstreak was too energetic for his own good. He bent his wings back and dived after him.

"About time," Firebolt grunted when Lightningstreak and Kurogane settled down upon the ground.

"Where were you, Blacksteel?" Pewterstone asked him curiously, tilting his head to one side. "It's almost noon."

"I had some business to attend to." He shrugged with seeming indifference. "Now, I need you to gather the rest of the dragons. I need to talk with them."

Pewterstone and Thunderbell exchanged perplexed looks.

Firebolt was grinning smugly. "I told you he'd gone to find Ryuujin, but you wouldn't believe me!"

"Did you really?" Lightningstreak asked him eagerly.

"Look, I'll explain everything in due time," Kurogane said quickly. "But first, call the rest of the dragons. I think you should all hear what I have to say firsthand."

Pewterstone and Thunderbell set off in one direction while Firebolt and Lightningstreak set off in the other. It took close to an hour to find everyone, but soon enough, all of the dragons had gathered before him. Some appeared curious to hear what he had to say, while others appeared highly distrustful. Goldenridge and Cloudbeard had also come to hear, but they stood to one side, as if not wishing to influence anyone else with their presences. Kurogane had to note that Cloudbeard had attained a rather silver sheen to his white scales.

Kurogane nodded at Thunderbell and the others, who stood at his side. "I'll take it from here," he said quietly.

Kurogane straightened and unfurled his wings, climbing up a rock so he could see them properly. If he thought it'd be difficult to address them the first time, it was just as difficult a second time. "I know most of you were probably dragged here against your wills, but I'd like for you to hear me out before making any hasty decisions." With that said in fashion of an introduction, he drew a deep breath and plodded on.

"Dragonkind is a dwindling race. Every year your numbers have continued to diminish and will continue to do so unless we do something about it. Even if we manage to drive away humankind, you'll still be a doomed species. Without more births, dragons will soon cease to exist. And I know this to be true," he said, raising his voice to be heard over the angry mutterings, "because Ryuujin told me so." He looked up at them to see their reactions, which were pretty much as he had expected.

"As if Ryuujin said something like that," someone sneered.

"Who does he think he's kidding?" another scoffed.

"He's just trying to butter us up to agree to go into seclusion," one of them surmised darkly.

Kurogane tried to keep his temper under control. "Ryuujin told me that he put a curse upon dragonkind thousands of years ago," he said in a voice he tried to keep steady. "Dragons were cursed due to their excessive pride and insensitivity toward others, toward species they consider inferior to them. Dragons must be taught humility before they can be saved."

"Humility?" a large bronze dragon with whirling amber eyes demanded, pushing forward to stand in the first line of the crowd. "We have been humiliated enough all of these centuries humans have been disposing of us! How much more humiliation are we to stand before we are saved?!"

"Humility as in the absence of arrogance!" Kurogane finally snapped, baring his fangs. "Which you, apparently, don't have in the slightest!"

The bronze dragon drew himself up imperiously. "Are you calling me arrogant?" he asked him, his eye twitching in ill-suppressed anger.

"I'd have thought it was obvious," he retorted coolly. Ignoring the death glare he received, he looked back at the other dragons. "Ryuujin told me that he would remove the curse if you reform," he continued, taking in a deep breath to calm himself. "Due to your longevity, you are unwilling to change your way of life, but change must be accepted for you to be saved. It's the only way."

"So you plan to fort us up in the Valley, do you?!" one of them exclaimed. "You want to trap us here so we don't supposedly cause anyone harm, is that it?!"

"Dragons are meant to be free!" someone shouted.

"Cooking up this whole story just to make us change our minds about going into seclusion," another snorted. "How dare you stoop so low to trick us?!"

"But what if he's telling the truth?" someone piped up. "What if he really did speak to Ryuujin?"

"He _is_ Ryuujin's son," another reflected.

"I don't believe it," the bronze dragon said flatly. "Ryuujin is our god! He would never put a curse upon his own people!"

There was a murmur of agreement from the majority of them.

"I say he's just trying to protect his own kind," he continued, grinning maliciously, the tic in his eye more prominent than before. "Pathetic, really. Humans can't compare to us." He turned around to the others standing behind him. "Are we just going to stand here and take insults from someone who's not even a real dragon?"

"Blacksteel's only trying to help us!" Lightningstreak protested, stepping forward. "Why can't you give him a chance to prove himself?"

"And he's not human!" Firebolt added. "He's Ryuujin's son! He's as dragon as any of us!"

"Once a human, always a human," the bronze hissed. "What makes you two so sure that he's changed?" He suddenly smiled cruelly. "Ah, yes. Change. Just as he himself spoke of change." He looked up at the black dragon standing on the ledge with undisguised hatred. "Have you changed, Blacksteel? Do you consider yourself a dragon? Or do you consider _us_ inferior to you? You surely must since you dared to kill Moonbeam—"

"That's quite enough," Goldenridge suddenly said strongly, coming forward and looking at them all disapprovingly. "I will not tolerate us fighting amongst ourselves."

"But, Goldenridge!" the bronze dragon protested vehemently, turning his head toward her. "You can't deny that he deliberately killed one of us! And in cold blood!"

Goldenridge sighed. "Moonbeam's death was a tragic accident—"

"No, it wasn't," Kurogane said loudly, causing everyone to look up at him in surprise. He climbed down the rock to stand before the bronze dragon and Goldenridge. "It wasn't," he repeated. "Moonbeam died because of me. It wasn't an accident. I killed him."

"See?!" The bronze dragon turned to Goldenridge triumphantly. "I said so—"

"But I did it in self-defense," Kurogane interjected quickly. "Moonbeam was out of his mind. He wouldn't have hesitated to kill me. I had to fight back."

"You attacked him first!" he spat bitterly.

"Moonbeam would have killed Lightningstreak if I hadn't stepped in."

"Oh, so killing Moonbeam was perfectly fine but killing Lightningstreak would have been wrong?" the bronze sneered.

"I didn't say that," Kurogane spat through gritted teeth.

"You most certainly implied it."

"Don't you dare twist my words!" he roared as he slammed his fist into the ground.

"You're twisting them yourself," he said smugly.

"Enough!" Kurogane grabbed one of the bronze's horns and pulled him down to his eye level. "You have no idea how much I wish I could undo what I did that day," he growled in a low voice. "I never wanted to kill him."

"You may say that, but do you mean it?" The bronze dragon's lips curled back as he flung him away. "When one of us dies, it concerns all of us," he said grimly. He turned back to the others, raising his voice to cry, "Dragons have never killed one another before! You see?! Change has come! And with it, our deaths!"

A loud and angry cheer rang from the crowd. The bronze dragon smirked in satisfaction.

"Goldenridge! Can't you do something?" Pewterstone turned to her hopefully.

Goldenridge looked at the bronze and then at Kurogane. She bowed her head, sighing heavily. "They have decided."

Pewterstone's face fell. He and Lightningstreak exchanged anxious looks.

Thunderbell frowned. "Then there is nothing more we can do?" He looked up at Kurogane.

Kurogane forced a bitter laugh. "I knew it was useless. I knew they wouldn't listen to me. I told him so, but he wanted me to try again." He shook his head. "And I guess I wanted to, too. Maybe even make him proud of me. I would've liked it if my real father was proud of me."

"Blacksteel?" Firebolt said tentatively, eyeing him worriedly.

Kurogane grimaced, his eyes gazing unseeingly before him. "I used to think dragons were different from humans, but I guess you're both one in the same. Too damn selfish and proud for your own goods," he whispered vehemently. "I thought you could change. But I guess I was wrong." He unfolded his wings abruptly, nearly knocking down Thunderbell in the process. "I don't give a damn what happens to any of you anymore. Do what you want. I offered to help you, but you wouldn't accept it." He wasn't shouting, but speaking to them in a voice that he kept emotionless and under control with little effort, which was the most surprising. "If you want to die, that's fine by me. I'll trouble you no further."

Before anyone could say or do anything else, Kurogane rapidly kicked off from the ground, sending snow spraying in all directions. He was airborne and already some distance away before anyone else could regain their bearings or even think of going after him. He did not look back as he sped through the air, his wings knifing through the air as each quick beat took him farther and farther away, away from his guilty conscience and away from his self.

He had done what he could, even if he had failed. At least he had tried.

———————————————

The weather that morning was considerably warmer, a pleasant exchange from freezing winds and chilly temperatures, even though they could still noticeably feel the winter's cold. They struck camp and proceeded again along the Highway at a steady pace so as to not tire the horses. Although they covered a great deal of ground, they still hadn't reached Minakotsu by nightfall.

The next morning was colder, but they kept along the Highway all the same, passing through Minakotsu a little before noon. They decided not to stay so they could head on for Jorsan, for there was no need for them to replenish their supplies and waste half a day. When the sun began to set, casting lazy shadows over the road, they found another spot to set up camp under a protective cluster of trees.

"It's times like these when I wish I knew more about the great outdoors," Fay laughed helplessly at one point, scratching his head. "I keep blundering when I try to set up the tent. How did you say I do it again, Syaoran-kun?"

"You have to secure the ropes tightly so they don't come loose, Fay-san."

"Is that so?" Fay rubbed his hands together and stuck his tongue between his teeth. "Alrighty then. One more go until I'll admit defeat."

"Who's going to stand first watch tonight?" Tomoyo asked curiously, handing Sakura a loaf of bread.

"I can," Fay said brightly, but in his enthusiasm the tent collapsed on itself again. "At least... as soon as I finish here," he grinned sheepishly.

"I'll be on first watch, too," Syaoran offered, getting to his feet to help Fay properly erect the tent.

"Then that leaves us to get some sleep before it's our turn," Sakura said cheerfully, putting the last finishing touches to their supper. "And I just finished making our sandwiches!"

"Wow, you made a whole bunch of them!" Mokona chirped as it perched precariously on Tomoyo's shoulder. "When are we gonna eat?"

"Just as soon as Syaoran and Fay-san finish setting up the tent," Sakura assured him. "I'm sure it won't be long now."

Tomoyo clasped her hands behind her back and looked up at the starry sky. "Isn't the moon beautiful?" she said breathlessly, closing her eyes. "A lone source of magnificence and splendor in the darkness of night."

Sakura's eyes also lifted to the sky. "The moon _is_ beautiful," she agreed, inhaling deeply. "It's so big that it looks like you can even touch it." She raised her hand to emphasize her words, pretending to grasp it in her hand.

"Do you think we'll see a shooting star?" Mokona squeaked happily. "I'd really like to see one! Yuuko says that you can make wishes on shooting stars!"

"The feather we got in this world had a shooting star," Sakura said quietly, clasping a hand to her cheek. "Remember when I absorbed it the night we stayed at that inn?" She smiled tentatively at Tomoyo. "I was sitting on the edge of the desert, right beside the palace. I'd gathered all sorts of things I'd need for stargazing. A telescope so I could see the stars, a globe with a star map so I could discern the various constellations, and a small glass hearth that would provide me with light." She frowned slightly. "I was really happy that night. I kept talking to someone, even though there was no one there. But I was happy all the same. And when I saw the shooting star I was really excited because I wasn't alone." She laughed. "Do you know what I wished for?"

"What?"

"I wished that we would always be together. Me and that special someone." Her smile was happy and sad at the same time. "Strange, isn't it?"

"I wouldn't call it strange," Tomoyo assured her with an impish wink. "You should hear what I did to Kurogane once."

"Oh?"

"I forced him to sit out with me all night in the royal gardens once." She chuckled. "It was such a pleasant summer evening that I didn't want to stay inside the castle. Being Lead Ninja, Kurogane was obliged to accompany me everywhere, even if he resented it tremendously. He kept saying that I'd catch cold and that he'd never hear the end of it from Souma. She was away from Shirasagi at the time, patrolling the Highway, and Kurogane was positive that he'd be scolded when she found out." Tomoyo chuckled mischievously. "I told him we didn't have to tell her if he was so worried about it."

"So what happened?"

"We spread blankets on the ground and watched the stars together. He grumbled quite a bit about it at first, but I eventually made him lie down beside me so we could watch them properly without craning our necks." Tomoyo sighed softly. "It was the first time Kurogane and I had ever been so close. We just watched the stars. I don't remember well what happened afterward because I fell asleep, but when I woke up in the morning I was in bed. I assumed that he must have carried me inside, but he wouldn't answer me directly when I asked him."

Sakura giggled. "Kurogane-san _would_ be embarrassed about something like that, wouldn't he?"

"You betcha," Fay grinned hugely, settling down between them as he grabbed a sandwich. "We finished with the tent, but we couldn't help but overhear your stargazing stories, right, Syaoran-kun?"

Syaoran nodded and sat down beside Sakura, reaching for a sandwich. He avoided making eye-contact with her.

"How about you, Fay-san?" Sakura asked him curiously after swallowing her bite. "Do you have a story that has to do with stargazing?"

"Me?" he said in surprise. "Nah, no stargazing for me! Unless you count studying the various constellations and marking down their positions for school projects and stuff. Boy, that was quite a long time ago." He munched thoughtfully for several moments. "Actually, there _was_ this one time when I couldn't sleep," he admitted slowly. "So, having nothing better to do, I crept up to the astronomy tower and fooled around with the telescope." He chuckled. "We weren't exactly allowed to touch it, but I was really curious about it." He grinned in remembrance as he leaned back upon his arms. "I saw all sorts of things that night. Bunches and clusters of bright and colorful galaxies, and numerous planets of different shapes and sizes. I stayed up all night long." He smirked proudly. "And they never caught me."

"How about Syaoran?" Sakura turned to him, smiling warmly. "Surely you've stargazed before."

"No," he lied, meeting her gaze evenly. "I've never gone stargazing before."

Fay and Tomoyo exchanged significant looks, but said nothing.

"Me neither!" Mokona chirped. "I guess it's just the two of us then, right, Syaoran?"

Syaoran forced a smile. "Right."

"It's really a shame, Syaoran, it's so wonderful to..." Sakura started to say, but faltered. She drew a hand to her forehead, frowning.

"Sakura-chan?" Fay said worriedly, putting his hand on her shoulder to keep her steady. "Are you sleepy?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, it's not that..." She took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "It's Kurogane-san..."

Fay and Syaoran exchanged nervous glances.

Tomoyo swallowed hard. "What's happened?"

Sakura did not reply at first. She closed her eyes as the same caressing breeze appeared to rustle her hair. It was a long moment before she stirred again, gasping sharply. "He... he's losing himself," she whispered in horror, her eyes widening as she began to tremble uncontrollably.

"What's wrong with her, Fay-san?" Syaoran demanded in alarm, gripping her shoulders as he tried to keep her steady.

Fay's face drained of all color. "We have to bring her back before it's too late."

"Too late?! Fay-san, what's wrong with her?!"

"She's gone in too deep," he explained in a voice he tried to keep steady. "She's sharing his mind now. Whatever he feels, Sakura-chan feels. Something terrible must have happened for her to be reacting like this."

"He's losing himself!" Sakura shook her head and burst into tears. "He's losing himself!"

"Sakura!" Syaoran shook her slightly. "Pull yourself together!"

"Oh, God, he's losing himself!" she shrieked in dismay, sobbing convulsively.

"Sakura, listen to me! You have to snap out of it!"

She tried to pull away from him. "He's losing himself!" she cried hoarsely, pounding his chest with her small fists. "He's losing himself!"

"She can't hear me." Syaoran looked up at Fay and Tomoyo helplessly. "What are we going to do?"

"We have to do something!" Mokona squeaked.

"Let me try," Tomoyo said softly, getting to her feet.

Syaoran relinquished his hold on Sakura's shoulders and moved to one side for her, anxiously hovering nearby. Tomoyo pressed her fingertips against Sakura's temples as she closed her eyes and started murmuring under her breath. The air seemed as still as death. Then there was a sudden surge of magic and Sakura gasped sharply, snapping her eyes open. Tomoyo released her and took a few steps back, trembling violently.

"Sakura?" Syaoran said quickly, kneeling down beside her and gripping her hands. "Are you all right?"

Sakura swallowed and nodded. "I'm all right now." She smiled at him shakily. "Really, I'm all right now."

"What happened?"

"It was Kurogane-san." Sakura drew a deep breath. "His emotions are... cold. He was so cold I thought I'd... I thought I'd been trapped." She suppressed a shiver. "He tried to reason with the dragons. He tried to help them. But they wouldn't accept his help. They blamed him for... for the death of another dragon. They kept accusing him for everything, it was... it was horrible. He'd finally had enough and left."

"So he hasn't completed his task?" Fay questioned.

"He doesn't care about his task anymore. He doesn't care about helping them anymore. He doesn't care about anything anymore." Her lower lip quivered. "He's full of bitterness and defeat... and he's so cold..." She drew another deep breath. "He's losing himself. He's starting to forget how it was like to be human. He's becoming dragon. But not like other dragons. He's becoming... wild."

There was a half-choked cry in the background. Tomoyo had covered her face with her hands, her whole frame shaking.

Syaoran looked up at her. "Tomoyo-hime?"

Tomoyo shook her head. "I'd been feeling strange ever since we left Solar Tower," she admitted hesitantly, her voice muffled behind her hands. "But I hadn't realized that I'd been feeling Kurogane's thoughts and emotions. I only just realized it with the little contact I had with his mind when I helped Sakura-hime break free..." She drew in a shaky breath and looked up at them with shimmering eyes. "He... he's desolate and... and empty..."

"We'll bring him back," Syaoran told her confidently. "He's not gone yet. We still have two more days." He got to his feet and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "I promise you, we'll find him!"

"We don't even know where he is!" Tomoyo collapsed at his feet, weeping uncontrollably. "It's useless!" she wailed despairingly. "He's not even himself anymore!" Her frail body was trembling violently now, torn apart by the paroxysm of her grief.

"Syaoran-kun, why don't you take her to the tent?" Fay suggested quietly. "A good night's sleep will do her good."

Syaoran nodded and bent down to help Tomoyo to her feet. She blindly gripped his forearms, her tears obscuring her vision as she stumbled to her feet. Her tearing sobs would not allow her to speak, and Syaoran had to support her weight as he almost carried her to the tent. He had to push her down into her sleeping pallet, but once he had managed to draw the blankets over her, her sobs had subsided into pathetic little whimpers.

"I'm sorry," she managed to gasp raggedly once her shaking had subsided. "I must be such a nuisance weeping all the time." She sniffled and wiped at her eyes. "You probably think I'm a fool."

Syaoran smiled slightly. "I'd think of you as a fool if you didn't cry," he told her honestly.

"I don't think I've ever cried so hard in my life."

"Well, there's always a first time for everything."

"You're always so good to me." She lowered her gaze. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate your concern. All of you."

"We're friends," he said easily. "Friends help each other."

The empty ache she tried not to remember was threatening to devour her. She felt as if she were hovering precariously on the edge of a precipice with no way to turn back to safety. Was Kurogane feeling the same? Her eyes started filling with tears again.

"Just try to sleep," Syaoran said softly. "You'll feel better if you've had a good night's sleep."

Tomoyo managed a weak smile of gratitude and nodded.

Satisfied, he squeezed her shoulder lightly before standing to his feet and creeping quietly out of the tent.

Tomoyo wrapped her arms around her shoulders, knowing that Syaoran's advice was the best to follow in this case. She tried to calm herself enough to fall asleep, however impossible the feat seemed to her. She couldn't help but feel that her dreams would not be able to provide a sufficient refuge. She tried not to think about Kurogane and go to sleep as the moon rose higher and higher in the night sky.

She tried not to, but she continued to think about him.

———————————————

Kurogane woke to a throbbing headache and sore eyes. He groaned and rolled over onto his back, wincing sharply when his wing claw poked him in the side. He scrambled to his feet, blinking blearily. He had just had the most vivid dream, but it had been full of disconnected images and events that he could not make any sense of.

Yawning hugely, he slithered out of the fissure he had slept in for that night. Yesterday had been more comfortable, even if he had spent the night outside and had woken to stiff and protesting muscles due to the cold. He felt just as battered this morning for sleeping in such a small space. He arched back and stretched, extending his wings and flexing them experimentally. He still ached all over.

He waddled up to the nearby waterhole and took a long, refreshing drink. Just as soon as he had parched his thirst, he looked around, his rumbling stomach informing him that he was neglecting himself. He smirked. A juicy and plump herd beast would be a perfect distraction. Unfurling his wings, he leapt into the air, and with a few effortless strokes he had risen above the clearing.

The chill air swept past him in a refreshing manner, soothing his swollen eyes and relaxing his tired muscles. He held his wings stationary and glided along, savoring those precious, solitary moments that were open to him when flying. The sun was just rising over the crest of the far-off mountain range. He banked to the right, making a full spinning turn in the air. He looked down upon the snowy acres of land spreading below him. He turned to his left, but again, he found nothing. Where could he find a place to get a bite to eat? His growling stomach was starting to get pretty distracting.

After flying along for a couple of hours, he located what he was seeking: a series of small, connected buildings protectively shading a closed pasture. A few solitary oxen were kicking at the snow morosely in hopes of finding a hint or two of grass. Kurogane's lips curled in a triumphant grimace. He swooped low and singled out an ox at the edge of the pasture, a little way away from its fellows. He grabbed the struggling beast, cracking its neck as he brought it down. Then, gripping it tightly in his claws, he rose up, settling down upon an outcropping of rock several feet away to feast.

After he had satisfied his hunger, gnawing and picking at its remains to the bone, he spread his wings and soared overhead. He might as well return to that waterhole and wash away the aftertaste. And maybe even take a bath. He had a terrible itch somewhere along his back. He was just about to turn and head back when a disturbance below made him cock his ears and change his direction the last minute.

Humans had pooled out from the buildings, pointing up at him and shouting amongst themselves. They seemed to be arguing about what they should do. Some were gesticulating wildly at the remaining oxen while others were shaking their fists and snarling. Some of them were brandishing pitchforks and shovels. Kurogane snorted incredulously. As if they could do him any injury with such petty little tools. They weren't even real weapons.

He knew that he could very well just fly away and ignore them, but the temptation was too great. He figured a good scare would make them less provocative around dragons. With an ear-splitting roar he spiraled overhead and plunged downward, extending his claws as flames erupted from his jaws.

Anyone who had been suggesting that they face the dragon paled at his rapid and ferocious descent. As one, the seven men who had gathered threw down their tools and ran for it, screaming in terror, just as he swooped right over their heads, nearly singing their hair with his fiery breath.

Kurogane pulled out of the dive and flew up again, raising his voice to a shriek as he sped above the compound. After a few more lazy circles, making quite a show of spitting fire and screeching loudly, he turned on his wingtip and flew away, back toward the morning's clearing.

A rumbling chuckle bubbled up to his lips. It was the first time he had ever terrorized anyone and he found it a refreshing change from the usual monotonous boredom life had to offer. Humans really were such simpleminded creatures. How pathetic. Well, at least the humans living in that compound would never underestimate dragons again. Kurogane's expression turned bleak. Dragons were just as simpleminded fools.

He was an outcast, a reject to both societies. He sighed wearily. Was there even any point in living on like this?

He kept flying for close to twenty minutes until he spied a small clearing, different from the first. There was a crystal-clear pool with a small waterfall, churned water, and ice chunks crashing at its base. He banked to the left and landed smoothly by its snowy bank. He lowered his head to the rippling surface and sampled the water. It was cool, almost icy in his hot mouth. He surmised that the water spilled straight out of a mountain spring.

After drinking more than his fill, he cautiously entered the pool. He suppressed a shiver as the cold water foamed around his legs when he stood in the shallows. Sucking in his breath and bracing himself, he plunged into the icy depths. He was surprised to discover that the pool was deeper the further he went, deep enough for him to swim around in quite comfortably beneath the surface. He swam along for several more seconds before rising up and breaking the water's surface, gasping for breath. He shook his head free of clinging water droplets, blinking his eyes rapidly. He was clean enough, he decided, with or without the waterfall. He supposed that its pressure would be too much to bear, anyway.

He climbed out of the pool, dripping water, his wet scales making a strange, rasping noise as they overlapped each other. He shook the water away, extending his wings and flapping them to dry himself. He could feel his mind steadily clearing, as if he were only just waking from a dream. The icy water in combination with the wintry atmosphere was probably the reason. Kurogane sighed and stretched, wincing slightly at his protesting muscles straining. The cold must have seeped into him. He didn't remember ever feeling so sore before. Or did he?

He snarled in frustration, crushing the snow beneath his claws. Why couldn't he recall? Ever since he had left the Valley of the Dragons he was discovering that more and more things had been slipping his mind. He settled down upon his haunches, screwing up his face in an expression of fierce concentration. He had thought that if he avoided thinking about it, his memories would come back on their own. However, he hadn't taken his impatience into account.

When he had realized yesterday, after leaving the Valley, that he had already forgotten more than he had expected to, he had been determined to force himself to remember everything. But it had been a futile effort, extracting no results whatsoever. In that moment, Kurogane had nearly lost all hope and had desperately wanted to surrender... to die. He still didn't know what had held him back. A momentary flash of something familiar had overwhelmed his senses just as he had begun to give in to the terrible, empty ache inside of him. A familiar and warm sensation. The feeling had been so warm that it had been enough to draw him out of his mindless despair before he had completely succumbed and lost himself. He shuddered, swallowing hard. He never wanted to return to that horrible emptiness.

He tried to remember faces, events, happenings, but all he could bring forth were blurs. Raising his head and trying to force down the nauseating panic that began to rise within him, he tried to focus on his first childhood memories, memories that he was sure he would be able to recall, for they were the oldest he had. Other than a few vague faces he could not put names to, and the unmistakable surge of hot excitement flowing in his veins as he violently parried with random foes, he could not remember anything.

He stood up straighter, flexing his wings nervously, as he decided to focus upon something more recent. But again, nothing. Just as he was beginning to lose hope, a vivid memory suddenly burst forth in his awareness.

Lightning streaking across a rainy sky. Dead bodies lying at his feet. His arms covered in blood. And a face. He could remember a face. He clung to that memory, desperately trying to put a name to that tantalizingly familiar face. It was the pale face of a young man with wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes, staring at him avidly in... horror? Apprehension? Disgust? It was so hard to tell. Who was that man? Where did he know him from?

And then another memory, as vivid and as confusing as the first, flashed before his eyes. The blond man was beside him, wearing peculiar winter-like garments. To his other side was another man, but he seemed younger, with dark brown hair and keen amber eyes. An adolescent? He was cradling a sleeping girl in his arms.

_Who are they?!_ He gritted his teeth angrily. He thought his head would explode in his attempts to remember.

Faces, he suddenly realized. He could remember faces. He screwed his eyes shut and concentrated on remembering faces. The face of a woman came to his recollections, with short black hair and piercing green eyes. Where did he know her from? A number of other faces flickered across his mind's eye, vague and undistinguishable. But another face, sharp and clear, drifted to the surface of his awareness. A girl with long black hair and soft, brown eyes, chuckling impishly. He knew her, but from where? More faces appeared and disappeared, blurry and unrecognizable. If only he could remember someone properly...

And then he gasped as he saw someone wholly for the first time.

A stunning young woman with long black tresses surrounding a pale, childlike face, her silvery laughter ringing in his ears pleasantly. An elaborate golden headdress adorned her head, its dangling crystals chiming with every graceful sway, her long burgundy dress swirling around her ankles. She was small in stature, but she radiated both power and kindness. But it was her eyes that inexorably caught his rapt attention. Beautiful amethyst depths that swirled with a hidden emotion he _knew_ was reserved only for him, though how he could not say. It was the same warm and familiar feeling he had felt yesterday.

If only he could remember her name! It was on the tip of his tongue, but it continued to elude him. He reached out to her, as if longing to draw her into his embrace, but when he raised his scaly claw the apparition disappeared and the stark reality of his dragon self came crashing down.

"Why can't I remember?!" he cried out hoarsely, raising his eyes to the unforgiving sky. "Why?!"

———————————————

Tomoyo awoke the next morning to a stiff neck and sandy eyes. She scratched her head, blinking blearily until she had a few moments for last night's events to flood back. Ah, yes. Now she remembered. She sighed and sat up, pushing back her messy hair. Stifling a yawn, she looked around her. Fay was sleeping peacefully beside her, his expression unusually soft and vulnerable in his sleep. Mokona was curled up in a ball beside him, his little foot twitching slightly. Tomoyo frowned. If she remembered correctly, wasn't she supposed to keep second watch with Sakura? She arched an eyebrow. Where was she anyway? And where was Syaoran?

Tomoyo unsteadily got to her feet, drawing her warm cloak around her shoulders. She looked down at her white robes. A full five days on the road had succeeded in adorning them with a fine layer of grayness. Running her fingers through her hair, she tried to comb the larger tangles out. When she was somewhat satisfied with the result, she stepped around Fay to pull open the tent flap.

Coming out, her breath steaming in the unusually frosty morning, she cautiously took in her surroundings. There was the blackened pit where they had made their fire, and there was the long log they had dragged from beside the road where they had been sitting on the previous night. And sitting upon it were Syaoran and Sakura, talking quietly together. Tomoyo couldn't make out their words, but judging by their soft expressions, they were talking about something pleasant.

What a shame that Yuuko had asked for Sakura's memories of Syaoran in return for her aid. Tomoyo could tell that Syaoran was in pain whenever he was reminded of those happy, blissful childhood years they had spent together. Sakura was also in pain, more so because she could not recall who she held affection for. She apparently felt the same affection for Syaoran and was confused at the similarity of her feelings. Sometimes, Tomoyo was tempted to reveal everything, but she knew the rules and restrictions in sorcery. The price had been paid, and it would never be returned.

Tomoyo tried to be silent as she crept toward the horses tethered nearby, but she stepped on a dry twig that crackled loudly, causing her to freeze in her tracks and Syaoran and Sakura to start and turn around in surprise.

"I'm sorry," Tomoyo apologized. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

"It's all right," Sakura smiled. "We were just about to wake you three up, anyhow."

"We let you sleep in, Princess," Syaoran added.

"I noticed that," Tomoyo said dryly, flexing a sore arm as she settled down beside them. "Who did the extra shift?"

"We split it with Moko-chan and Fay-san," Sakura admitted. "They did the first shift while Syaoran and I did the second."

Tomoyo's face fell. "I'm sorry for being such a burden."

"There's no need to apologize, Tomoyo-hime," she said quickly. "Last night was... understandable."

"Could you two please not call me 'hime' or 'princess'?" she asked petulantly. She poked at a twig at her feet. Bending, she picked it up and began to break it into little pieces. "I get enough from everyone at Shirasagi."

"Can I call you Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura said eagerly.

"Of course you can!" Tomoyo said happily. "I'd like to call you Sakura-chan, too!"

"That's fine with me!" Sakura seemed genuinely pleased.

"I'll settle on Tomoyo-san," Syaoran said, looking up at her with a smile.

"Certainly!" Tomoyo tossed the twig bits into the black pit. "Kurogane needed cozening to feel comfortable about dispensing titles." She smiled a small smile. "He thought I was teasing him when I told him I'd gotten tired of him always being formal with me. And I don't blame him," she added with a small chuckle. "I tease him a lot. When he realized that I was serious, he was actually quite relieved. You know how he gets when he loses his temper. People mistake his shouting spells as signs of disrespect when he's only trying to blow off a little steam."

"You two must know each other very well," Sakura said. "Kurogane-san would sometimes tell us about you, too."

"Really?" she said in interest. "And what would he say?"

"Not much," Syaoran shrugged. "He'd take on a melancholy look or he'd just mention you from time to time whenever something reminded him of you. Like in Piffle." He grinned. "Sakura was determined to participate in the Dragonfly Race despite his warnings, and he started grumbling under his breath." Syaoran cleared his throat, assuming Kurogane's gruff tone. _"She's just as stubborn as that princess."_

"I'm not stubborn!" Sakura laughed, pinching Syaoran's upper arm.

"I didn't say you were!" He winced slightly, rubbing the place she had pinched him. "Kurogane-san did."

Tomoyo laughed gaily. "Well, I suppose I do appear stubborn in his eyes."

"Don't we all?"

Fay came out of the tent, yawning hugely and ruffling his hair as he stretched his arms. "Couldn't help but overhear," he grinned. "Kuro-tan has this tendency to call everyone stubborn when they don't agree with him."

"That's a sad truth," Tomoyo noted, trying to suppress a grin.

"So, I take it you're okay now?" Fay sat down beside her, arching an eyebrow curiously.

Tomoyo's grin faded and she half-shrugged. "As okay as I'll ever be."

"Then I'll make breakfast," he offered, getting to his feet again and going to the horses, Mokona skipping along behind him.

"Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura said tentatively after a few moments of silence.

"Yes, Sakura-chan?"

She hesitated at first. "We only have two days left," she finally murmured quietly.

Tomoyo tried not to flinch. "I know," she admitted heavily.

"But Kurogane-san left the valley and we don't know where he's gone now."

Tomoyo looked up at her. Surely she wasn't suggesting...?

Her expression was set. "I think I should try sensing him again."

"Oh, no, I couldn't possibly ask you take such a risk again!" Tomoyo gasped. "You nearly lost yourself with him."

"But you could've been lost, too, Tomoyo-san," Syaoran said softly. "By entering Sakura's mind, you also entered Kurogane-san's mind. It was your intervention that saved them both from going mad." He gripped her shoulder tightly, his amber eyes excited. "Which means that we still have a chance to save him! All we have to do is find out where he is before it's too late!"

"Let me try again, Tomoyo-chan," Sakura begged. "I promise I'll withdraw the moment I sense something's wrong."

Tomoyo looked from Sakura to Syaoran. "There's no changing your minds, is there?" she said helplessly.

"No chance," Syaoran confirmed with an awkward grin.

She sighed. "Be careful, Sakura-chan," she cautioned.

Sakura nodded. "I will." She took in a deep breath and half-closed her eyes.

The wind began to rustle around them, kicking up swirls of snow. Sakura's expression was glazed and her eyes were oddly blank. "He's flying," she reported. She suddenly frowned. "Strange..." she murmured.

"What's strange?" Syaoran echoed, but fell silent when Tomoyo shushed him.

"Has she found him?" Fay asked, coming up to them from behind.

"Not yet."

Sakura suddenly blinked and shook her head slightly, as if coming out of a daze. "How peculiar," she muttered, looking up at them. "Kurogane-san seems to be resenting both humankind and dragonkind."

The three of them exchanged surprised looks.

"It must be because the dragons were so distrustful, blaming him for everything when he was trying to help them," Syaoran said slowly, frowning in thought. "But why would he be resenting humans?"

"Maybe the dragons influenced him with their way of thinking?" Fay suggested.

"But he was a human himself. Surely he can determine for himself how humans are like."

Tomoyo's brow creased. "I don't know what to make of that," she admitted.

Sakura had her fingertips to her forehead. "Give me the map," she said, holding out a hand. "Hurry! Before the image fades."

Syaoran stuffed his hand in his pocket, hastening to obey. He quickly unfolded it as he handed it over.

"Here," she said, pointing at a small, bare patch of green and blue in the middle of the forest. "He just landed there a few moments ago."

"I'd forgotten that he could fly," Fay chuckled wryly.

"That's not too far from here!" Syaoran exclaimed in relief, circling it with a charcoal piece. "If he doesn't budge we'll catch up with him before noon!"

"Really?" Fay said excitedly. "We're only a few hours away?"

"It's absurdly close to where we are now!"

Sakura shrieked with delight and hugged Mokona tightly. "That's wonderful news!"

"Well, what're we waiting for?" Fay demanded joyously. "If we're lucky, we'll be eating dinner with him tonight!" He made to head for the tent, but was interrupted by a low growl. He grinned sheepishly. "Of course, before we eat dinner with him we're going to have to do something about breakfast," he said, unnecessarily pointing to his stomach.

They all burst out laughing.

———————————————

"Why, why, why can't I remember?!"

The question remained unanswered, echoing in Kurogane's mind repeatedly. He could not remember anything that made any sense. All he could remember were numerous faces, disconnected scenes, and emotions. A number of conflicting emotions. Rage was mixed with tranquility, anger was crossed with happiness, lust was confused with love. He felt as if his mind were splitting in two with all of the distorted images.

And again, the question that he could not answer continued to sound from his lips, reverberating continuously in the clearing. _"Why__—__?!"_

Kurogane screamed, clapping his claws over his ears, as if to shut out all sounds. "Get out of my head!" he exclaimed, tearing at his flesh with his talons. His voice rose to a shriek as he twisted, trying to flee from the images flashing over and over again in his mind. "Go away!" he gasped weakly. "Go away!" He did not want to remember, not if it meant that he would have to go through such torment and agony.

Escape... he needed to escape. Flee... he needed to flee from the incomprehensible images. Images of faces and places he knew, but did not know at the same time. And all the time that girl kept appearing, her violet eyes haunting him in his inability to recall her name.

_"Who are you?!"_

And then the hole returned. The horrible, hollow emptiness that wanted to devour him, body and soul. It was agony, agony in all the sense of the word. He felt as if he would bleed to death from the unbearable sensation. If only to relinquish himself from the tearing, burning pain gnawing at his insides, he would surrender. He would surrender and let it all end. No more suffering, no more pain, no more agony, no more thinking, and no more memories. He did not want to feel anymore. He had to escape. He had to flee down the hole.

And then he was falling, falling with no way to return, into the vast, hollow spiral, into the horrible emptiness.

And he knew no more.

———————————————

Tomoyo suddenly clapped her hands over her ears and screamed, falling to her knees.

"Tomoyo-chan!" Fay dropped the water-skin he had been holding and dashed to her side.

"Oh, no!" Sakura gasped, her hand flying to her chest as she sagged to the ground. "It can't be!"

"Sakura!" Syaoran quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her up. "What's happened?"

"Is it Kurogane?" Mokona squeaked anxiously from its perch on Syaoran's shoulder.

"He's gone..." Sakura covered her mouth with her hand. Tears began to pour down her cheeks. "He couldn't stand the pain..."

"Gone?" Syaoran repeated, blinking dazedly. "What do you mean gone?" His eyes suddenly widened in realization. _"Is he dead?!"_ he demanded in horror.

Sakura shook her head. "No..." she spluttered, drawing a shaky breath. "He... he lost his mind..." Her lower lip quivered. "Oh, Syaoran!" She clung to him, burying her face in his shirt, sobbing.

Kurogane lost his mind? Syaoran tried to digest the news as he held her close. How could this happen? And so suddenly? No, he suddenly realized darkly. It had begun last night. His head swiveled around to Fay, seeking a confirmation.

He saw Fay say something to Tomoyo, causing her to look up at him sharply. He said something else, but she furiously shook her head, pushing him away.

"I'm not going to abandon him!" she flared, getting to her feet. "I won't!"

"Tomoyo-chan, be reasonable!" Fay snapped. "You can't possibly be thinking of facing him on your own! Especially now that he's out of his mind!"

"I can't just leave him!" she wailed in despair. "He needs to be brought out of his madness!"

"No one can do that, Tomoyo-chan, no one!"

"No! I'm going after him! I know he'd do the same for me!"

She turned on her heel, but Fay reached out and grabbed her wrist tightly, pulling her around to face him.

"Believe me, I know what I'm talking about," he said in a low voice that carried to where Syaoran and the others were. "I've seen people go mad before. No matter what you do, he's not going to snap out of it. Can't you see, Tomoyo-chan?" He searched her eyes desperately. "There's no way to bring him back!"

The line of her mouth was drawn. "Let me go," she said coldly.

"I can't do that, Tomoyo-chan."

"I said let go of me!"

With a furious jerk she managed to escape from his hold. But before he could make a move to grab her again, she had hitched up her skirts and had fled into the trees, her long cloak flying behind her.

"Tomoyo-chan, come back!" Fay cried. "It's suicide!" He took a few steps, then stopped, realizing that it was futile to go after her. Gritting his teeth, he kicked at the snow angrily. "She's going to get herself killed!"

"Are we just going to stand here and do nothing?!" Syaoran demanded vehemently. "We have to go after her!"

"It's too dangerous if she goes alone!" Mokona agreed with a squeak.

"But this is something she _has_ to do alone," Sakura said quietly, causing them all to turn and gape at her incredulously. "Can't you understand how she feels? She can't just give up. She has to try." She gripped Syaoran's hand and got to her feet, crossing her arms over her chest. "And I believe in her!"

Fay exhaled. "The odds are against her, Sakura-chan. How can she possibly bring him out of his madness? Not even specialized doctors can bring madmen back to sanity."

"She loves him," she replied simply. "She'll save him."

"Are you sure, Sakura?" Syaoran asked her carefully. "Kurogane-san probably won't even recognize her."

"She'll save him," she repeated strongly. "I know she will."

Fay ran a hand through his hair, sighing heavily. "All right," he said. "We'll wait for three days. If she's not back by then, we leave. Agreed?"

Sakura momentarily stiffened, as if she were going to reprimand him for saying such a thing, but she held herself back. She knew Fay wasn't being cold out of spite or arrogance, but only so he could mask his frustration at being unable to help and his anxiety for Tomoyo's welfare. Syaoran had also been shocked at Fay's words, but he nodded, bowing his head in understanding.

Sakura swallowed hard, looking up at the cold, gray sky. She had nothing else left to do but hope that Tomoyo would make it and bring Kurogane back, safe and sound. She could still sense the emptiness that had replaced Kurogane's emotions. She shuddered, clasping her hands together.

She could only continue to hope with all her heart.

———————————————

_"It's suicide!"_

Tomoyo steeled herself determinedly, ignoring Fay's echoing voice ringing in her ears. So what if it was suicide? She had made a promise to herself and she would keep it. She raised her arms to push offending limbs and tree branches out of her way. She would either save Kurogane or die in the attempt. She knew she would die of grief without him, anyway. Satisfied that she had resolved some of her conflicting emotions, she forced her way on.

She could sense him now perfectly well on her own. The hollow sensation was quite acute and guided her through the dense forest. She only hoped that the emptiness in his mind would not strengthen. She suddenly realized that she did not even have the slightest idea how she was going to save him. She was walking into this blindly, but save him she would.

Hours later her legs felt as if they were on fire, heavily contrasting with the rest of her freezing body. She was sagging and stumbling with exhaustion, but she determinedly plodded on. She could feel him now, closer than ever. She froze as a resonating rumble suddenly sounded in the distance. That had to be Kurogane! She began to run toward the sound, her heart thumping in her chest. A sliver of light through the trees led her on, and she parted the leaves, pushing through into the clearing.

Her eyes widened as she stopped in her tracks.

A black dragon was screaming his defiance, an enormous gout of flame bursting forth from his gaping muzzle to envelop a large tree before him. Orange and red flames licked at the tree's trunk, its bark hissing as the clinging vapor rose as mist into the wintry atmosphere. The heat of the dragon's breath was so intense that the tree had soon burnt to a crisp, its gray ciders a blemish upon the white snow.

Tomoyo's mind reeled and she involuntarily let a gasp escape from her lips as she clutched at a tree trunk behind her for support. There was no doubt left in her wildly beating heart any longer. She raised a trembling hand to her chest, drawing a shaky, uneven breath. She had found him.

"Kurogane..."

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** Cliffhanger! The only thing I have to say is that the inspiration for Sakura's stargazing memory came from the splash for Chapitre 14, when she and Syaoran are watching the stars fall. And the following below, of course. XD

If you notice any mistakes or things that don't make sense, point them out, please. Sometimes, though, they'll be intentional, like the problem dragons had with mating which would eventually result in their extinction.

Kurogane could still remember his friends in the beginning of this chapter because they were important to him, as was Tomoyo. But when he left dragonkind, he began to forget more easily because he was alone and not around anyone he knew who could keep him from forgetting who he was. I hope you can understand what I'm trying to convey here. It's the reason Kurogane lost his mind. (Yes, I know I'm evil!)

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


	21. Triumph Or Agony

**Summary:** After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...

**Pairings:** KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura

**Disclaimer:** Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.

**Note:** This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).

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**A/N:** With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!

It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy _When Worlds Collide_ as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.

I hope you enjoy my fan fic!

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**When Worlds Collide**

**Chapter 21 — Triumph Or Agony**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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The dragon's whirling scarlet eyes seemed to be burning with an inner flame all their own as his serpentine tail lashed out at invisible foes. He rose on his hind legs and extended his long neck like a pillar to the sky, an ear-splitting shriek rending the silence of the clearing. His claws were raised, his deadly talons shining like steel in the winter sun's rays, and his teeth were bared, gleaming white against the red forked tongue between his cavernous jaws. Another burst of fire erupted from his mouth, encircling another cluster of trees with crackling flames.

Tomoyo found that her throat had gone dry as she warily took in her surroundings. Black scorch marks scattered at irregular intervals around the clearing revealed the extent of the dragon's fiery breath. The snow all around had been trampled and churned, as if someone had intentionally scattered it everywhere. Deep, jagged marks stood out starkly against various tree trunks and the rock face by the waterfall, as if he had slashed his talons across their surfaces.

She felt paralyzed by both fear and awe. There was no hint of recognition in those eyes... only madness. The way he was thrashing about in his mindless frenzy did not provide her with any means to get near him unscathed. How could she even dare to? Tomoyo could feel her resolve wavering in that terrible moment of indecision, her determination faltering. What could she do?

The dragon suddenly bucked, rearing as he clawed at the air, his terrible shriek ringing loudly in the clearing. Finding nothing to attack in the air around him, the dragon suddenly brought his claw down, his talons plunging deep into his scaly hide. And then, ever so slowly, he began to force his claw downward, his talons drawing long gashes in his foreleg. Hot blood began to ooze from the wounds, staining the snow crimson. He then lowered his head to his shoulder, his fangs digging deep into his flesh, and, inexorably, more blood began to flow down to the ground.

"Kurogane!" she managed to gasp weakly, taking a few steps forward, her arm extended longingly toward the tormented beast.

The dragon's ears flicked and his head snapped up at the unexpected intruder, his breath steaming in the cold air as his blood-red eyes focused upon her. A low growl sounded deep in his chest, like the rumble of an impeding thunderstorm. His talons and fangs were streaked with his blood, which slowly continued to dribble to the ground, forming a pool around his feet.

Tomoyo froze in mid-step, her heart leaping up to her throat as she brought her hand to her chest, breathing quickly.

They both stood still, facing each other, the tension around them rippling through the air like electricity.

The dragon suddenly bellowed ferociously, as if he were giving her an obscure warning. Arching his head back, he roared his battle cry again, the sound coming deep from his throat as he slashed at the air. Then he lowered his face, his eyes boring into hers as his ominous growl filled the clearing.

Tomoyo drew a deep breath to calm herself, but she determinedly stood her ground, meeting his piercing gaze fearlessly. She could feel the heat radiating from him even if there was quite a span separating them. How could she draw him out of his madness? How could she calm him down enough to reach his side? She did not want to hurt him, but if there was no other way...

"Kurogane..." she whispered, extending a trembling hand. "Please..."

The dragon's eyes narrowed suspiciously as the low growling resumed. He unfurled his wings, holding them over himself, as if ready to take flight should something occur. His hot breath steamed in the chill air as blood continued to seep from his wounds. The dragon suddenly reared again, screaming as he lunged forward.

Tomoyo's eyes momentarily widened in shock as she froze, unable to move.

Then she felt a searing flash of pain along her arms.

She bit off a cry as she clutched her arms to her chest, opening her eyes dazedly. But to her astonishment, she saw no blood. She pulled back the sleeves of her cloak curiously, frowning in confusion. She was unblemished. Then what had caused the pain? She inhaled sharply and raised her eyes to the dragon.

He had plunged his talons into himself again, slashing at his forelegs in a mindless frenzy, drawing more and more blood. It was as if the creature were determined to relinquish his suffering by rending his own flesh. He shrieked piteously, a cry filled with such a myriad of emotions that there was no way to separate and distinguish them from each other.

Tomoyo was hit by such a nauseous wave of bitterness and defeat that she stumbled to the ground, unable to support herself. She gripped at the tree's bark with weak and numbed fingers, her body shuddering spasmodically as she experienced pain, pain beyond endurance. She forced herself to stand erect, trying to ignore the strong metallic scent of blood suffocating her senses. She weakly raised her head, her eyes brimming with unshed tears as she felt her resolve shattering from the intense emotions overwhelming her. But she dared not give in.

"Kurogane!" she cried weakly, extending her hand to him. "Please! Stop hurting yourself!"

The dragon paid her no heed in his madness. He fell to the ground with a resonating shudder and screamed, clutching at his head. He began to kick out furiously, his body twisting and bending unnaturally. He thrashed in the snow as he gnashed his teeth together, shrieking again.

The real battle was inside his mind, she realized darkly. He was still fighting the madness.

Tomoyo took a few steps toward him, but she had to jump back to get out of range of his wildly lashing tail. She tried to go around it, but it twisted around in such an unpredictable manner that it suddenly struck her in the small of her back, causing her to fall into the snow. His tail snapped out at her again, narrowly missing her face by inches, and she hastily rolled out of the way to safety, getting to her feet.

"Kurogane! Please! Stop it!" She winced, screwing her eyes shut in pain. "Can't you hear me...?" she whispered desperately. She tried to stand up, ignoring the pain. She could feel something trickling down her side. Hoping that it was just sweat, she focused her gaze upon the dragon again, who was now apparently locked in a contest of wills, his body thrashing around so wildly that there was no chance she could even hope to find an opening to get closer to him.

How could she save him? How could she calm his troubled soul? She knew no spells that would have any affect, for magic did not work that way. There were restrictions to what one could do with their powers. And if she tried to enter his mind, she knew she would do more damage than good, especially in his present condition. She would even endanger her own sanity. What she had to do was calm him down somehow. But how could she calm an enraged dragon?

And then it came to her. All the old stories claimed that dragons could be moved by music, especially by singing voices. She had never put much faith into old myths and legends, but what other alternative was left? She dared not risk hurting him; he was already injured enough by his self-inflicted wounds. If she sang, would it work for Kurogane? Would she be able to calm him?

Standing erect, her hands clasped together and the wind whipping her hair across her face, she drew a deep breath and parted her lips.

_Remember  
I will still be here  
As long as you hold me  
In your memory..._

The dragon continued to twist and turn, but there was a definite difference in his movements. They were not as frenzied and uncontrolled as before. Taking courage, Tomoyo drew another breath and continued.

_Remember  
When your dreams have ended  
Time can be transcended  
Just remember me..._

She took a tentative step closer now that the dragon had visibly calmed down, though he still continued to flinch and cringe at the invisible foes in his mind. She knew that the song was having a great affect on him, more so because she had sung this song to him once before, a long time ago—that night they had spent together in the gardens, gazing at the stars. Did his present serenity mean that he remembered that night as well as she did?

_I am the one star that keeps burning so brightly  
It is the last light to fade into the rising sun  
I'm with you whenever you tell my story  
For I... am all I've done..._

He had now stopped moving, remaining perfectly still upon the snow as he drew ragged breaths, his chest rising with each breath he took. The madness that had clouded his eyes seemed to flicker and lift—if only for a moment—as they flashed with a spark of recognition.

_Remember  
I will still be here  
As long as you hold me  
In your memory...  
Remember me..._

Tomoyo extended her hand toward him as she continued to approach him slowly, so as not to startle him. She kept singing with all her heart, hoping that her words would reach him somehow.

_I am that one voice in the cold wind that whispers  
And if you listen you'll hear me call across the sky  
As long as I still can reach out and touch you  
Then I... will never die..._

The dragon slowly raised himself from the ground, turning to face her as his gaze fell upon her violet orbs. His eyes suddenly widened as he was struck with a number of conflicting emotions, his mind finally clearing at last.

_Remember  
I'll never leave you  
If you will only  
Remember me..._

He knew that song. He knew that voice. He knew that face.

_Remember me..._

And he knew those beautiful amethyst eyes.

_Remember  
I will still be here  
As long as you hold me  
In your memory_

Something inside of his mind seemed to crack and shatter, and suddenly, his thoughts surged with a flood of memories. He could now remember everything clearly; from memories of his early childhood, to what had happened mere days ago. He had been trapped in his own mind, as if he had been trapped in some sort of cage, powerless to break free and escape. But now he was free; free from the horrible emptiness that he had nearly succumbed to wholly, free to recall everything with clarity, free to be himself once again...

_Remember  
When your dreams have ended  
Time can be transcended  
I live forever..._

Free to be _Kurogane_ again...

_Remember me...  
Remember me..._

Tomoyo was now standing before his massive, wedge-shaped head, and she lowered her voice to a whisper to let the last notes of her song fade away as she raised her hands to his face.

_Remember...  
Me..._

Slowly, she placed her hands over his snout. A deep rumble sounded from his throat as he half-closed his fiery eyes, leaning in to her touch.

Tomoyo tentatively stroked his face, her hands trembling as her eyes filled with tears. She wrapped her arms around his head and laid her cheek against the side of his scaly face. "I'm here now," she whispered softly, caressing his face. "I came for you. Everything is going to be all right now."

Kurogane made a peculiar thrumming noise deep in his throat and nuzzled her cheek gently.

"You can recognize me, can't you?" She drew closer to him, gripping him tighter. "Can't you?" she asked again, her voice wavering as she longed for some sort of confirmation.

He shifted his body so that he could gather her within the circle of his foreleg, careful not to hurt her with his talons, in the fashion of an embrace.

The sincerity of his response to her made her burst into tears of relief. "Oh, Kurogane!" she sobbed, hastily wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand as she clung to him. "You're all right!"

Kurogane made a series of guttural noises, speaking in the tongue of the dragons, but then his voice faltered, as if realizing that she would not understand him. He released her and turned his face away, bowing his head in shame.

"I don't care if you're a dragon," she said fiercely, putting her hands to his face again. "My feelings haven't changed. They never will."

He raised his crimson eyes to her hopefully, hardly daring to believe his ears.

She pressed her cheek against his, drawing a shaky breath. "But I know that if you leave me again, I'll never be able to go on without you. Can't you see, Kurogane?" She drew back to look at him, trailing her fingers along his face. "I'll always love you, no matter what." Wanting to prove her words to him, she closed her eyes and stood on tiptoe to reach him, pressing her lips against his lips.

Although she had expected the thin, cold mouth of a dragon, the touch was as warm and soft as the first kiss they had ever shared. Startled, she opened her eyes, not knowing what to expect. The black dragon was still there before her, but he seemed to be hidden behind a shimmering curtain of light. She let her hands fall from his face and she took a few steps backward, hardly daring to believe her eyes.

The curtain of light intensified, its pulsing brightness nearly blinding her. Tomoyo quickly covered her face with her hands to protect her eyes. When she sensed the brightness fade away several moments later, she tentatively opened her eyes, still keeping her hands before them as a shield. She blinked a few times, and when she judged that her vision had cleared, she uncovered her face.

Kurogane was human again.

He stood but for a moment on trembling legs, breathing heavily, before falling to his knees in the chill snow, barely managing to catch himself with his hands. The muscles in his upper arms quivered as they bore his weight, and he drew unsteady, ragged breaths, his bangs hanging before his eyes. Slowly raising his right hand, he stared at it, mixed emotions flitting across his face. He wiggled his fingers and closed his hand, forming a fist. He had hands again. He lifted his hand to his face, tracing his features. Eyes, nose, mouth...

He was himself again.

He raised his eyes and saw Tomoyo on her knees before him. He could see himself reflected in her amethyst eyes as clearly as if he were looking at mirrors. His eyes traveled over her face, drinking in the sight of her. Extending his hand, which was trembling slightly, his fingertips brushed her skin, pushing back some stray locks of hair dangling before her face. He caressed her cheek lovingly.

"Tomoyo..." he croaked, his vocal cords hoarse from lack of use.

Her lower lip began to quiver. She could no longer keep her emotions under control as she flung her arms about his neck, burying her face in his chest. "Oh, Kurogane!" she sobbed. "You're back!"

He tentatively raised his hands and gripped her shoulders, as if fearful that she would disappear and all this would prove to be a dream. He wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders while he raised the other to tentatively stroke her hair. He inhaled her familiar scent deeply. His face broke into a smile of relief as he sighed shakily. "I'm back," he whispered. "I'm really back." This was definitely not a dream or fantasy his mind had concocted to torment him. This was real. He was really holding her in his arms again.

Tomoyo laughed weakly as she drew back and her hands came up to cradle his face. "Yes," she said breathlessly. "You're back." She smiled up at him, her eyes watering as she laughed again softly, sliding her hands back down to his shoulders. "You're a mess," she sniffled.

Kurogane looked down at his bloody shoulders and arms. "I... I guess I am," he admitted slowly, only just realizing it.

"Hang on," Tomoyo said, getting to her feet, "I'll take care of it."

She went over to the pool and removed her cloak. She wore a sleeveless white ceremonial robe beneath, but she paid no heed to the cold as she took hold of the hem of her skirts and began tearing off strips of cloth. Once she had achieved to shorten her kimono a few inches, she knelt at the banks and dipped some of the strips of cloth into the water. Then she came back to him, settling down on her knees before him.

"I'll clean your wounds first," she said briskly, applying one of the cold cloths to a large gash in his shoulder, wiping away the drying blood. "And then I'll tie these makeshift bandages around you."

He was still puzzled about how he had gotten hurt in the first place, so he let her go about her business of cleaning away the blood and tying the cloths around his arms and shoulders in silence.

"There," she said proudly one she had finished. "As long as you don't make any sudden movements, I don't think they'll start bleeding again. It's a good thing that dragon hide is certainly tougher than human skin. Your wounds appeared deep when you were a dragon, but now they're merely superficial."

She then draped her cloak across his shoulders, urging him to put it on. He consented, wrapping himself in it to hide his nudity and to protect himself from the cold. The sleeves just passed his elbows and covered the half of his forearms, and he noted that if he stood up the material would probably just pass his knees.

"Tomoyo," he then said hesitantly, gripping her hands in his, "how did I get hurt?"

Tomoyo frowned in perplexity. "How did you get hurt?" she repeated. "Surely you remember."

He lowered his gaze and shook his head. "I don't remember anything before you brought me out of... my madness. It was... like... I was trapped. I was trapped in my own mind and I couldn't escape." He drew a shaky breath. "I felt so cold and empty and I'd forgotten so much... But when I heard your voice... your song... I remembered... I remembered everything... and I found the strength to fight it... to escape..." He swallowed with difficulty and squeezed her hands gently. "But I don't remember what I did in my madness." He searched her eyes desperately. "What did I do?"

Tomoyo bit on her lower lip and avoided his gaze, wondering whether she even had the right to tell him what had really happened.

He raised a hand to her chin and lifted her face up to look into her eyes. "Please tell me, Tomoyo."

She sighed and clasped her hands together. "You were confused," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully. "And you were hurting yourself in your confusion. It looked like you were trying to... to escape from yourself." Her gaze lowered to the bloodstained snow and the burned trees behind him.

Kurogane frowned and turned around to see what she was looking at. He drew in his breath with a hiss. "I did all that?" he demanded in surprise.

She nodded. "You were burning down the trees and you were hurting yourself. I wouldn't have been able to get close to you unless I found a way to calm you down first..."

"With your song," he supplied, looking down at her, the palm of his hand resting against her cheek.

"What about the song?" she prompted, arching an eyebrow.

He snorted softly. "Nothing... it's just... it was the first time I'd ever heard you sing... that night we were looking at the stars." He smiled down at her hesitantly. The kind of smiles he only used when they were alone.

"You remember that?"

"How could I forget?" he asked in a low voice, stroking her cheek gently with the back of his hand, his face very close to hers. "It's the only song I appreciate."

"And why is that?" she breathed, the palms of her hands resting against his chest as her eyes lifted to his face.

"Because_you_ sing it," he whispered raggedly as he lowered his mouth to hers and claimed her lips with his. He discarded all caution as he drew her closer to him, crushing her to breathlessness, his kiss hot and passionate as he savored their close contact.

Tomoyo reveled in the sensations flooding to claim her. Kurogane had never kissed her before with such a raw need, which she found a refreshing change from his usual gentleness. It only reinforced her emotions and convinced her that he had indeed missed her more than he was willing to reveal with words. Her arms wound around his neck as his hands slowly slid down her back. But just as his arms wrapped possessively around her waist, she winced sharply, breaking their kiss.

"What is it?" he asked in alarm, drawing back.

"It's nothing," she mumbled, trying to twist away, but she only achieved in wincing in pain again, this time visibly.

"You're hurt," he accused, trying to keep the anger out of his voice as he pulled her hand away from her waist to reveal a large red blotch standing out against the white material of her robes. "How'd that happen?"

She looked away, lowering her gaze. "When... when I was trying to get close to you," she murmured hesitantly. "Your tail lashed out at me..."

His eyes widened as he gaped at her in horror.

"It wasn't your fault," she said quickly. "I know you didn't really want to hurt me."

He gritted his teeth angrily, silently cursing himself. "Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded.

"I didn't want to worry you," she admitted softly.

"Nonsense," he spat, getting to his feet. "I'll see to that."

"Excuse me?"

"You took care of me, didn't you? It's my turn now."

Tomoyo opened her mouth in surprise, then closed it, having nothing to say. He did have a point, she reflected sardonically.

Kurogane tore a few strips from the sleeves of the cloak, unconsciously following her own tactics as he dipped one of them into the water. He then returned to her, telling her to turn around and draw down the back of her robes so he could attend to her. She had half a mind to protest but she knew that he would overrule. Blushing furiously, she turned her back to him and complied, glad for once that he could not see her face. She kept the front of her robes firmly in place with one of her hands as she held her hair out of the way with the other.

He drew in his breath sharply when his eyes fell upon the angry welt in the small of her back, which still dripped blood. "Damn," he muttered angrily. "It's practically like a whiplash." He dabbed at the wound carefully, cursing himself over and over again in his head for hurting her.

Tomoyo did not really know what to say to that, so she remained silent. She found it ironic that they were taking care of each other like this; she taking care of his wounds and he taking care of hers. If her cut hadn't been in such an awkward place she wouldn't have really minded, she supposed. However, she found it highly peculiar and suspicious that they were taking care of each other in such a manner, as if she were being taunted by someone on high. She had wanted to tend to him, so she must also suffer accordingly, was what seemed to be the message being conveyed to her.

"You'll have to lift your arms up now so I can tie the bandages around you," Kurogane said at that moment, bringing her brusquely out of her thoughts.

As if she wasn't embarrassed enough, she thought as she let the front of her robes fall forward and raised her arms while gathering her hair up to the top of her head. How she desperately wanted the earth to open up and swallow her to save her from her humiliation. All right, it wasn't as if Kurogane was actually _seeing_ anything, she told herself firmly. She had certainly seen more of him than she had intended to. The memory caused her to redden even more and she pushed it out of her mind. Kurogane was not the kind of man to take advantage of a situation, she reminded herself. She trusted him with all her heart. With that firmly in mind, she concentrated on trying to reduce her blushes, with little success.

Kurogane's hands ever so gently went about her small waist, wrapping the strips of cloth around her. She could feel his hot breath upon her shoulder as he meticulously went about his work, finally tying a small knot when he came to the end of the cloth strips. She was even more embarrassed to find that she was slightly disappointed that nothing_had_ happened. She reprimanded herself harshly to stop thinking nonsense as her cheeks suffused with blushes again.

"Do you know that you're the most agreeable patient I've ever had to tend to?" he told her proudly as he turned respectfully to let her dress.

She hastily pulled on her robes, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "What?" she said in surprise, looking up at him as she tied the obi sash at her waist.

"Souma would always grumble and accuse me of doing a sloppy job whenever she'd get hurt in fights. She'd always say it was my fault she'd gotten hurt and she'd tend to cuff my head when I'd try to help her. Ungrateful woman," he added under his breath affectionately. "And I trust you remember how that blond wizard acted when I was trying to sew up his gash. Whining and complaining all the time like the big baby he is."

It took Tomoyo a few moments to register that Kurogane was talking about Fay, which reminded her darkly that he and the others were probably worried sick by now. She got to her feet and stretched slightly. She felt surprisingly more comfortable now that her cut had been tended to. "You did a good job," she said approvingly.

"I've had experience with similar situations. Can I turn around now?"

"Yes, I'm all done."

He turned around, his eyes drifting toward her smiling face before he quickly averted his gaze. He crossed his arms over his chest and avoided making eye contact with her as he shuffled at the snow with his feet. "I'm... sorry," he apologized gruffly.

"Sorry for what?" Tomoyo asked, bewildered by his sudden change in behavior.

"For... hurting you," he mumbled.

"I told you it wasn't your fault," she said firmly. "Now stop blaming yourself for something you had no control over."

His expression was stubborn, but upon meeting her determined gaze, he sighed in defeat. "All right. I'll stop blaming myself."

"Good," Tomoyo smiled warmly as she took hold of his hand and began to lead him through the snow. "Now we should head back to the others before they start worrying too much."

"What others?" he demanded quickly.

"Syaoran-san, Fay-kun, Mokona, and Sakura-chan, of course."

"They haven't left yet?!" he said in surprise.

"Of course not! How could they leave knowing that you were..." Her voice trailed away as she bit on her lower lip and turned her head to look back at him. "What exactly happened to you these last few days?" she asked him timidly.

Kurogane shook his head. "I'll explain when we get to the others. I only want to say what I have to say once." His hand tightened about hers when he said these words.

Tomoyo nodded in understanding as she parted the leaves and led him out of the clearing.

———————————————

Sakura was brooding silently, sitting by the campfire as her eyes gazed disinterestedly at her surroundings. Not having any news about what was happening for nearly five hours was positively the most unnerving experience she had ever had the misfortune to live through. She had tried to keep in touch with Kurogane at first, but as his insanity continued to intensify, Fay had forbidden her from trying anymore lest she begin to lose herself along with him like last night.

Sakura exhaled heavily. She had been unprepared then, that was all. But his madness had not been as strong then as it was now, so she obeyed Fay's cautions. But five hours? Anything could have happened in such a long time!

She looked up sharply at a sudden rustling noise coming from the trees nearby. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion and was about to bolt toward the tethered horses where the others were until she saw who the two figures emerging from the dense foliage were. Her eyes widened and her face broke into a happy smile. "Kurogane-san!" she squealed as she hurried forward to embrace him.

Fay and Syaoran turned in unprepared astonishment at Sakura's cry. Syaoran's mouth dropped open and Fay's eyes widened when their gazes fell upon Kurogane and Tomoyo, but they soon got a hold over their initial surprise as they rushed to their sides. Mokona clambered up Syaoran's shoulder and repeatedly squeaked, "It's Kurogane, it's Kurogane!" hopping up and down excitedly.

Kurogane's expression at the way he was greeted registered his shock completely, especially when Sakura suddenly rushed forward to hug him tightly.

"How're you feeling?" she asked him, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, I'm so glad Tomoyo-chan managed to find you! But how did you get back to normal?! Tomoyo-chan said she didn't know how to turn you back! But what about your—?!"

"Sakura-chan!" Fay laughed. "Give him a breather!" He cleared his throat pointedly, indicating Kurogane's red face.

Sakura flushed scarlet and released him sheepishly. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, bowing in apology.

"That's okay," Kurogane said with a small smile. "I just wasn't expecting such a welcome."

"It's good to have you back, Kurogane-san." Syaoran grinned up at him. "You had us really worried."

"Not as worried as I was, believe me," Kurogane said wryly, clapping his shoulder.

Fay peered at Kurogane's face intently. "There's something different about you," he muttered thoughtfully. "I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's something different." He held up his hands, connecting his forefingers and thumbs to create a rectangle as he peered at him through it. "There's definitely something different about you."

Kurogane arched an eyebrow. "Different how?"

"Beats me," Fay shrugged. "All I know is that there's something different about you."

Kurogane made to retort hotly about Fay's obscure answers, but instead, he sneezed violently.

"That's enough talking for now," Tomoyo said crisply. "We'd better get him into some proper clothes before he turns blue with the cold."

"He can change in the tent," Syaoran suggested. "Hang on, I'll go get his pack."

"How'd you guys know I had a change of clothes in one of my packs?" Kurogane demanded, glaring at Syaoran's retreating back.

"We sort of rummaged through your things when we were looking for your money pouch," Fay admitted, grinning hugely. He suddenly held up one of his forefingers. A bloodstained piece of cloth was wound around it. "You should watch how you stow away your weapons. I nicked my finger on one of your star thingies!"

"Shuriken," Tomoyo corrected shortly.

"Oh, yes." Fay laughed weakly. "I always have a tendency to forget strange words."

"Just how much of my money did you spend?" Kurogane growled suspiciously.

"Not as much as you must have spent on that pretty little scarf you got for Tomoyo-chan!" he said brightly.

Kurogane was saved the trouble of trying to think up of a scathing comment when Syaoran came back with his pack. The ninja grabbed it with an imperious _harrumph_ and stomped into the tent, swearing sulphurously under his breath.

"I think I managed to push him into quite a corner with that," Fay snickered.

"Shame on you," Sakura scolded him, but she couldn't keep the smile from her face.

Kurogane emerged shortly afterward, back in his classic black-and-red ninja garb. He grumbled as he tried to adjust his breastplate in a way that the straps wouldn't bite into his bandaged shoulders, but he wasn't really making much of a headway.

"Kurogane's full of bandages!" Mokona chirped anxiously, leaping upon his head to get a closer look. "Wow, your arms all so full of them that you couldn't even put your wrist-guards on!"

"It's nothing serious," he said gruffly, sitting down by the campfire beside them. "Tomoyo took care of them."

"And I suppose you took care of her, too?" Fay hinted slyly, his eyes lingering momentarily upon the red stain on her robes.

"Unh," he grunted, shooting the mage a look of daggers.

"Well, you two are just in time for lunch," Fay grinned, deftly maneuvering the conversation away from the subject as he handed Tomoyo her bowl.

"Are you hungry, Kurogane-san?" Sakura asked him. "Fay-san's made his thick vegetable stew again."

Remembering his meal that morning, Kurogane shuddered and nodded, wincing slightly when Mokona firmly tugged on his hair as it bitterly complained that it was wasting away with nothing but soup to survive on.

"You feel pretty heavy to me," Kurogane muttered under his breath.

Mokona bopped him smartly on the head before leaping down to resume its complaining.

Fay hummed a nameless tune as he ladled a generous portion of stew into a wooden bowl and handed it to him. "Bottom's up!" he grinned.

Kurogane snorted and raised the bowl to his lips, taking a large swallow. The soup was hot and scalded his throat, but he sighed in relief at having a proper sense of taste again. In honesty, he did prefer meat to soup, but having his meat well-done was always preferable to eating it raw. He took a second drink, but not before noticing that everyone was looking at him curiously.

"What is it?" he asked warily.

"You're either enjoying the soup or you're really, really hungry," Syaoran surmised, arching a brow.

"Both, actually," Kurogane shrugged—wincing slightly—before tilting his head back and finishing the rest of the broth. He held out his bowl. "Gimme some more."

"Seconds?" Fay said in surprise. "Are you trying to subtly tell me that you enjoy my cooking?"

"I'm pointedly telling you that I want more," he replied in a flat voice.

"But you're enjoying the soup."

"All right, I am," Kurogane huffed. "So? Eat a raw ox and tell me which you prefer."

Sakura blinked in surprise. "You... you ate an ox?"

"Two, actually. One this morning and another a few days ago. Although it was more like half because I split it with Lightningstreak." He glared at them, as if daring them to say anything about him eating raw meat. "So don't any of you try to make out that I like his cooking. I just prefer it to what I was surviving on this week."

"I rest my case," Fay said quickly, taking the bowl from him and hurrying to refill it. "Although I'd appreciate it if you enjoyed my cooking," he added petulantly.

"If you don't force sweet things down my gullet, I honestly don't have a problem with your cooking. But don't let that get to your head!" he added quickly, shaking a warning forefinger at him. "I'm just telling you my honest opinion to shut you up."

"Well, at least one thing that hasn't changed about Kuro-tan is his attitude," Fay grinned in relief. "If he tries to admit something nice about someone, he's going to have to growl and spit to do it."

Kurogane's eye twitched as he took the bowl from him and finished his meal in one swallow, wisely deciding not to answer that.

"Kurogane-san?" Sakura said timidly after a few moments of silence.

He put down his empty bowl and wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand. "What?"

"How did you get hurt?" she asked him, her expression anxiously concerned. She hesitated. "The dragons didn't attack you... did they?"

Kurogane stiffened and shifted his weight slightly, moistening his lips and avoiding making any eye-contact with them. He curled his hands into fists upon his knees, his knuckles turning white against his tanned skin. Tomoyo, sensing his discomfort, reached out and grasped his hand, twining her fingers through his. When he looked up at her questioningly, she gave him a small, encouraging smile, her thumb lightly caressing the back of his hand. His eyes turned to his companions, who were looking at him expectantly, though their expressions were also slightly apprehensive. The atmosphere was heavy with tension.

Kurogane exhaled heavily. "I guess it's all going to have to come out sooner or later," he mumbled, running his hand along the back of his neck. He did not say anything else for several moments. "I... did it," he finally admitted quietly. "I hurt myself."

Sakura stared at him in shocked astonishment, Mokona's and Fay's expressions appearing just as surprised.

Syaoran's mouth dropped open. "You hurt yourself? Intentionally?" His tone was incredulous.

Kurogane coughed gruffly and looked the other way, urging Tomoyo to speak on his behalf with a wave of his hand.

She frowned at him slightly before turning back to the others. "It happened in his madness when he was trying to find a way to escape from himself," she explained. Her expression suddenly turned sly. "He was locked in a furious contest of wills inside of his own mind. So what better way for one to seek redemption in one's confusion than to maim one's body?"

"Did you have to say it like that?" he asked her in a pained voice.

"You're the one who didn't want to answer for yourself," she said smugly. "So suffer the consequences accordingly."

Kurogane made an indelicate sound. "I don't even know how to explain what happened."

"You could take it from the start, you know," she suggested brightly.

"You're enjoying tormenting me like this, aren't you?" he accused.

"Oh, yes," she admitted with a mischievous wink. She chuckled and drew closer to him, winding her arm around his as she laid her head against his shoulder. "That's one of the reasons I love you so much."

Fay and Mokona sniggered heartily at Kurogane's face, which had turned beet-red in his embarrassment.

"Just explain yourself as best as you can," Tomoyo advised him, twining her fingers through his again. "It's perfectly all right if your words are simple. We won't judge you by what you tell us."

Kurogane exhaled heavily. "You're right." His lips twisted to form a wry smile. "You're always right."

"Naturally."

Kurogane chuckled softly, squeezing her hand gently before letting go. He looked up at the others and clasped his hands together, drawing a deep breath while he tried to gather his scattered thoughts. A few moments passed before he looked up at them again. "Well... I guess it all started in Sembia. With that mage. You all probably remember I'd caught glimpses of him from time to time, but none of you had ever actually seen him. He'd only appear before me. But he never spoke or gave any indication of his purposes; he just watched."

Syaoran and Sakura nodded faintly. Fay made a small sound indicating his agreement while Mokona fidgeted slightly in its seat in Sakura's arms.

"Right after we fled from Sembia, he appeared before me again, when you were all sleeping. But this time was different. He actually spoke to me. I didn't want to mention anything because I knew it'd only make you worry even more, and he said himself that it'd be useless if we tried to track him down." Kurogane swallowed hard. "He told me that he had nothing to do with the feathers and that his only concern was me. He also told me that he'd been watching me my whole life and that the time would soon come when I'd have to make a choice. At the time I didn't realize the implications, but now..." He left it hanging.

"Did you believe his words?" Syaoran asked at that point. "Didn't it occur to you that he might be lying?"

"It was hard not to believe him when I made him prove it by telling me something about myself I'd never told anyone," Kurogane replied with a haunted look in his eyes, scuffing at the snow lightly with a boot. "He proved it, so I had no reason to doubt him."

Syaoran momentarily frowned. It was obvious that Kurogane had no idea who the mage really was. He wondered if Tsukuyomi had intentionally hidden his identity from the ninja or if it had been by mere chance. Syaoran highly doubted that it was the latter.

Kurogane exhaled and rubbed at his eyes tiredly. "But it was that bastard who delivered the real blow," he grated through clenched teeth. "After he'd taken care of you guys, he told me that everything I knew was a lie. I could have doubted him. I could have dismissed his words as falsehoods. I was sorely tempted to. But there was a part of me that knew he was telling the truth. And then he showed me what had happened on the day I was born. I discovered that my mother was some noblewoman or other that had been chosen by the gods to carry the one who would stand between dragons and humans." He spread his hands helplessly. "And I discovered that my father was the god of the dragons, Ryuujin. So, in a way, I'm a dragon born as a human. Created by the gods to bring peace." He snorted in disgust. "And a fat load of help being Ryuujin's son was since most of the dragons were too stubborn and arrogant to even listen to me."

Sakura bit on her lower lip anxiously at the sudden wave of anger and disgust emanating from the ninja, and Mokona stirred restlessly in her arms.

Kurogane bowed his head against his clasped hands, taking a deep breath. "I tried," he whispered. "I tried to make them realize that they were dying as a race. And not just because of humans killing them off. Ryuujin placed a curse on them so they could learn humility. There'd only ever be one dragonling born of two dragons, which meant that every generation was basically being halved. And it still is, and it'll keep on going. Down to the last dragon." He sighed and raked his hands through his hair. "I tried to explain the situation, but they still wouldn't understand. They're going to die because of their inability to understand. And it's not that they_can't_ understand. It's that they don't _want_ to understand." He gnashed his teeth together and buried his face in his hands. "And now they're going to die..."

"Kurogane, it's not your fault they didn't listen to you," Tomoyo told him, laying a gentle hand upon his shoulder. "You tried to help them."

"But I failed," he spat bitterly. "I was supposed to help them and I failed." He looked up at her, his eyes almost pleading in their helplessness. "If I failed at this what if I fail again? Where am I going to fail next? What if the next time I fail will be even more disastrous?" He snorted derisively. "If anything_can_ be considered more disastrous than the extinction of an entire race?"

"Just because you didn't manage to accomplish your task, doesn't mean that you'll constantly fail in every aspect of your life from now on," she told him sternly. "You can't stop trying and give up just because of one failure. There's always something or other you'll never achieve. It's a part of life not to succeed all the time. Isn't it?" She turned to the others.

Syaoran shrugged helplessly. "There've been quite a few times I haven't managed to achieve my goals," he admitted.

"I don't remember if I have or not," Sakura spoke up tentatively, "but I do remember that the High Priest, Yukito-san, once mentioned that it's an inevitable aspect of life. There'll be times in every person's life when they'll be disappointed for expecting too much of themselves."

Fay had avoided taking part in the conversation up to this point. He seemed to be struggling whether he should mention anything by his calculating expression. "Sometimes," he began slowly, causing everyone to turn and look at him, "no matter how hard you try, you can't change someone's mind. Even when you're trying to convince him that he's leading everyone to ruin because of his decisions. If someone's mind is made up, there's no way to reason with him."

"Some people are just too stubborn to admit that they're wrong," Mokona suddenly piped up. "Yuuko hates it whenever she has to deal with people like that because no matter what she says, she can't help them when they refuse to listen. It's something inevitable."

"Everything seems to be inevitable..." Fay repeated in an undertone, his voice so low that Kurogane had nearly missed his words.

"You see, Kurogane?" Tomoyo said, turning back to him. "There's no need for you to get so worked up because of it. You tried, and that's enough."

Kurogane shook his head and chuckled, grasping her hand. "You always seem to know just what to say to make me feel better." He looked up at the others. "You're all right. I know it. But it's still..."

"You just hate to lose, that's all," Fay grinned, his pensive mood disappearing as suddenly as it had appeared. "You felt as if you lost a battle when you failed to help dragonkind. But you haven't lost the war," he added with a crisp salute and a lopsided grin. "Life is like a war. You have to keep fighting until the bitter end."

Kurogane arched an eyebrow. "Since when do _you_ of all people compare battles and wars to living life?"

"Let's just say that the ninja philosophy has finally gotten to me." He snickered. "Or just your obscure philosophy. Take your pick."

"Fay-san does have a point," Syaoran reflected. "Life _is_ like a war."

"Not you, too!" Kurogane groaned, smacking his forehead.

Tomoyo giggled and snuggled up next to him. "You have quite an influence on your friends, by the looks of it."

Kurogane had half a mind to answer that, but he remained silent, grateful, in spite of the usual jesting, for their support. He drew an arm around Tomoyo's shoulders and held her close, laying his cheek against the top of her head. He smiled faintly, content in that moment to merely savor their precious time together. It was good to be himself again, and to be with the people he cared about the most again.

"Maybe I do," he finally said softly. "Maybe I do..."

———————————————

Checking the map again, Syaoran reached the conclusion that they could continue along the Highway the way they had planned and reach Shirasagi in around three and a half days. It would have been preferable for them to start that afternoon so they could reach Jorsan by nightfall, but Kurogane wasn't up to riding a horse so soon after becoming human again. He didn't exactly tell them that, but it was evident by his pained expression and the way his eyes drifted to the tethered horses when Syaoran suggested that they strike camp that he'd rather stay put before attempting to ride again. Even so... Syaoran suspected that his problem had nothing whatsoever to do with horses.

So they stayed at the campsite for the rest of the day, listening to Fay's jokes and sallies, catching up on some sleep, and basically loitering around. None of them pressured Kurogane to come forth with any more explanations, even though there were still several unanswered questions that had yet to come to the light. Like what exactly had taken place in the Valley of the Dragons; from Kurogane being blamed for the death of a dragon to what he had done the past six days in their company to ignite their rage to such a pitch. And the fact still remained that Tsukuyomi had told them that Kurogane had been initially created to help dragonkind. Having failed the task he had been born for made each of them wonder at some point or other what would happen to the ninja because of it.

They set off for Jorsan the next morning, Kurogane and Tomoyo riding his horse in a similar fashion Sakura and Syaoran rode theirs. It was slightly awkward at first because of their difference in size, but Kurogane figured that if she sat across his legs they could manage just fine. Fay sniggered heartily at this and innocently asked the ninja whether he had something else in mind about the seating arrangements. Kurogane retorted hotly that he had no such intention, which prompted Fay to slyly point out that he probably did since the wizard had actually been referring to whether Kurogane was going to give Tomoyo the sash he had bought for her or not. Kurogane responded by drawing his sword and chasing Fay around the clearing, shouting obscenities that even made Tomoyo—who was pretty much used to his bad language after so many years—flush a deep crimson. At least Kurogane's reaction had been some sort of confirmation that despite everything he had been through, he was still pretty much the same person underneath it all.

After a relatively uneventful trek (despite the usual death glares Kurogane shot at Fay's back) they reached the small town of Jorsan, famed for its trade in saké and other alcoholic drinks and spirits. Quite a number of merchants and vendors had tried to pressure them into purchasing their wares. They passed on through, ignoring the sellers and without stopping at an inn, riding on until nightfall when they set up camp in a semi-sheltered bunch of trees at one side of the road.

After setting up camp and eating a meager supper of bread and cheese, they took turns keeping watch. Since they were more in number, they decided to split it in three shifts instead of the usual two they took. Syaoran and Kurogane would take the first, Fay and Mokona would take the second, and Tomoyo and Sakura would take the third.

After the others had gone to bed, Kurogane and Syaoran settled down by the fire, seeking warmth from the biting winter chill. Kurogane simply sat cross-legged with his arms folded over his chest as he gazed listlessly at the flames. After a long moment of silence, Syaoran finally drew out the all too familiar scroll in an attempt to study it again.

As Syaoran's eyes scanned the faded script, Kurogane watched him through the corner of his eye, recalling Ryuujin's words on the Prophecy. That he had initially been created to help dragonkind was true enough, but hadn't Ryuujin also said that his fate was more than it appeared? That he was also somehow involved in this quest? More than he had originally thought? At the time, he could not recall the Prophecy, but know...

Kurogane shifted his weight and cleared his throat gruffly, causing Syaoran to look up at him in surprise.

"That scroll..." Kurogane began, scratching lightly at his chin. "What does... it say...?"

"About you?" he offered while Kurogane floundered around for words.

The warrior grunted and nodded.

"Well, not much," he admitted wearily. "The part referring to this dimension's all smeared. I can't make out what it says at all. But it basically says that the time would come when you'd have to make some sort of choice—"

"What?!" Kurogane exclaimed, his body jerking forward in surprise. "What kind of choice?!"

Syaoran blinked. "Kurogane-san?"

"Sorry, I... I guess I overreacted," he muttered shortly, shaking his head. "But... what kind of a choice was it referring to?"

"Something about the Fellowship either being stripped by your parting or if it would be your desire to journey onward with us." Syaoran's gaze lowered. "At first I thought it was referring to you staying in Nihon now that you were home, but ever since... recent events... I thought it might also have a double meaning. That it could also be interpreted as you deciding to remain as a dragon or become a human again."

Kurogane swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly going dry. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but was unable to find the words. He finally sighed and crossed his arms over his chest again. "When I was still a dragon... and Tomoyo had just managed to bring me out of my madness..." He momentarily closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. "There didn't seem to be a way for me to ever become human again... and it didn't seem to matter when Tomoyo told me that... that she didn't care if I was human or not... but..."

He fell silent for several more moments, moistening his lips nervously. He knew he couldn't avoid the subject, not any longer. "I... I heard a voice... inside my head... telling me that the time to make my choice had finally come... and I had to decide if I wanted to remain a dragon or return to being a human. No matter what I chose, my other part would still remain with me. And... I wanted to be human again." He paused. "So Ryuujin let me go."

"You mean that voice was Ryuujin's?"

"It wasn't him doing the talking, but I could sense him there as well..." As his voice trailed off, he shook his head and snorted. "I know it doesn't sound like it makes any sense, but that's how it happened." He frowned darkly. "But that voice sounded vaguely familiar for some reason..."

Syaoran's brow knitted and he stowed the scroll away in his cloak. "So... it was basically due to your desire to become human again that Ryuujin let you go?"

"Probably something like that. I guess the final decision was Ryuujin's since I'm his son." Kurogane's eyes drifted back to the fire. The reddish shade of the flickering flames irresistibly reminded him of the shade in the rainbow-colored dragon's scales when his burnished hide had shone in the direct light of the sun. "I suppose I should be grateful to him. But I can't help but feel somehow... betrayed. I mean..." His sigh was frustrated. "I can't help but feel now that all this was some sort of test, just to see if I qualify or not. Because, in the end, it didn't matter that I didn't help dragonkind." He shook his head, recalling Silverthorn's words. "I had to decide what I'd do for myself."

Syaoran could not very well find anything to say to that, and so, he remained silent, for which Kurogane was grateful. They said nothing more as the wind continued to whistle through the trees, the only other source of sound in the wilderness but for the crackling fire.

———————————————

The next morning dawned unusually crisp and cool, the sun's rays providing little warmth in the heart of December. There was a hint of dark clouds in the distance, but they hovered over the far-off mountains, their snow-cropped tips lost in the blurry swirls. The dry, dusty odor of snow was not an immediate threat, but it would be once the temperature began to drop and the ominous clouds drifted closer.

Fay drew his parka tighter against himself, thankful that his fingers weren't too numb to handle the reins of his skittish mount. He was pretty used to the cold, but that didn't mean that he was by any means immune to it. Wearing gloves was always preferable to freezing, even if he hated it whenever his fingers became slippery with sweat whenever he wore them in warmer weather.

His gaze fell upon the horse in the lead, the one Sakura and Syaoran were riding. They were probably unused to so much cold, especially with their sleeveless garments, but their winter cloaks more than made up for it. Syaoran had surrendered his gloves to Sakura several days ago, and she still wore them whenever they traveled. Mokona alternately perched upon their heads, chittering excitedly about something or other. The cold didn't seem to be bothering it in the slightest.

Out of curiosity, Fay turned in the saddle to look over his shoulder at the others. Kurogane didn't appear uncomfortable, but then again, he was probably used to the cold of his home-world. But out of all of them, Tomoyo was the one garbed in the thinnest clothes—ceremonial robes were hardly a sufficient means of protection against the biting winds. Kurogane had drawn her close enough to him to warm her, one arm carefully wrapped around her waist with the better part of his heavy cloak draped across her shoulders. Tomoyo looked pretty toasty and pleasantly content with their riding arrangements. Fay smirked knowingly.

Kurogane caught sight of the magician's twinkling gaze at that moment and frowned suspiciously. "What's so funny?" he demanded sourly.

Fay merely offered a faint smile. "Nothing, Kuro-pii. Nothing at all." And with that, he turned back to face the road, still grinning hugely in silent amusement, as if he were in on some sort of secret that the ninja was ignorant of.

Kurogane scowled darkly, his left hand tightening upon his black's reins. The horse nickered softly, as if sensing his discomfort, her breath steaming in the chill air. Kurogane abandoned the reins long enough to pat the mare's flank reassuringly. His movements caused Tomoyo to stir slightly, and she released a small sigh as she snuggled against him, falling into a deeper sleep. His expression softened as his arm tightened around her, but a worried crease between his brows remained.

There were still so many questions left unanswered, so many things he did not know. How could he ever hope to lead a normal life after everything that had happened? How could he even dare to? The fact still remained that he was not entirely human, even though he had made the decision to return again. He _knew_ in his very bones that he would never truly belong—just as a part of him had always known that he was different from everyone else—no matter which path he would have chosen. Human or dragon...

Then the familiar, gnawing sensation of despair began to creep up on him again. He clenched his teeth together and tried his best to push the feeling away. The emptiness was still there, ominous in its persistence, threatening to overwhelm him if he dwelled on it for too long. Kurogane knew that the nothingness would never go away, no matter how much time would pass. There would always be a danger he would succumb to it in a moment of weakness. A weakness he was all too aware of.

He was terrified of being alone.

Since when had he been reduced to such an emotional wreck? He tried to force the emptiness away, unconsciously bringing Tomoyo closer to his chest, the scent of her hair filling his nostrils. But not even that could calm his nerves. _Don't leave me_, he thought desperately. _I don't want to be alone again_. His grip on her tightened. _I'm afraid of being alone._

Tomoyo shifted slightly in her sleep and wound her arms about him, laying her head upon his chest with a soft sigh. Kurogane swallowed, a reassuring warmth spreading inside of him. How foolish of him to start doubting again. Of course he was not alone.

He had Tomoyo, and he knew that he would always have her by his side, no matter what.

———————————————

Sakura studied the large expanse of land, which was devoid of trees or any other kinds of greenery, by shading her eyes against the afternoon sun. It was completely covered in pristine white snow, as if a blanket had been spread upon the broad plain. In the distance, she could make out the miniscule cluster of trees that would become a forest the nearer they approached them. But something else caught her eye; a small black mass that was crossing the desolation, heading their way.

"Syaoran..." she said slowly, tugging on his cloak slightly. "Do you see that?" She extended her arm and pointed, indicating the direction she meant.

Syaoran's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the small group of riders, growing larger the closer they came. He turned in the saddle. "Kurogane-san... there are riders coming."

"I see them," he replied bleakly, his hand straying to the hilt of his sword.

"Kurogane..." Tomoyo sighed exasperatedly. "Violence isn't always the answer."

"It doesn't hurt to be prepared," he pointed out, loosening Souhi from its scabbard so he would be able to pull it out quickly if needed.

"I judge it'll be around five minutes or so until they reach us," Fay mused. "They'd already crossed the better part of the plain before we made it to the edge of these woods." He reached for the bow tied to his saddle and plucked an arrow from the quiver. "Just in case," he murmured in answer to Tomoyo's reproachful look.

Syaoran also readied his own sword, keeping his hand firmly clasped around the hilt. "Should we just wait here? They don't appear to be armed."

"Look again," Kurogane grunted.

Syaoran looked back, and this time he noticed the swords tied to the saddles of the riders.

"They haven't drawn their blades yet," the ninja continued, "so we'll wait. If they attack, we'll respond."

Tomoyo pursed her lips. "That sounds reasonable," she admitted slowly.

They said nothing more as they waited for the riders to near them. The minutes passed by slowly, seemingly inching along at a snail's pace. Now it was easy to discern the long, black-colored cloaks, the similar uniforms, and the crescent-moon emblems they bore. Their mounts paced along in a steady formation at an even canter. One of the riders, the one in the lead, raised her hand to signal the rest to stop. Pulling on the reins slightly, the leader drew back her hood and smiled.

"Well, well, if it isn't Souma-san!" Fay laughed and waved her over. "What a relief to see a familiar face again!"

Souma grinned back and rode up to meet them, breaking apart from the group. "It's great to see you all again. In the middle of nowhere, no less." Her eyes scanned their battered and weatherworn appearances, finally resting upon Kurogane and Tomoyo. "And I see my dear cousin has done his best to ensure the princess's safety." There was a hard edge to her voice that Kurogane recognized, and he squirmed under her persistent stare. "Somehow, I'm not surprised to see you together." Whether or not she meant the fact that Tomoyo was in their collected company or specifically in the company of Kurogane remained a mystery.

"I thought I left you with clear orders, Souma," Tomoyo interjected at that point in a berating tone of voice. "Didn't I tell you that you were to remain in charge? Who's in command at Shirasagi if you're here?"

Souma hesitated and lowered her gaze. "There's been a slight misunderstanding, Your Highness," she began, slowly and carefully. "Someone of higher... authority... has taken command."

"Whose authority is higher than the Lead Ninja's when Tomoyo's absent?" Kurogane demanded, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Well..." Souma uncharacteristically floundered around. "Let's just say that... someone who had disappeared ages ago... has finally returned to take her rightful place once more..."

"Who the hell're you talking about?"

"Oh, Kurogane, don't tell me your brains have been addled by your travels!" Souma finally snapped. "Don't you remember anything from those history lessons we took at the Academy?" She rolled her eyes exasperatedly at the blank and uncomprehending look he gave her. "The Sun Goddess has returned." She shrugged exaggeratedly. "Who else?"

———————————————

"Who is the Sun Goddess?" Sakura asked Tomoyo tentatively several hours later. "Is she Tsukuyomi-sama's sister?"

"Judging by what he's told us, they're not on the best of terms," Fay mused thoughtfully. "I wonder... why would she appear before her brother's followers and start issuing orders...?"

After a long day's trek in the company of Souma and her scouting party, they had managed to traverse the vast plain and continue on through the forest until Souma had called for a halt to set up camp for the evening in a small clearing at dusk. Two ninja tended to the horses while another two gathered firewood for the fire. Another three started making the necessary preparations for supper while the rest started setting up the tents. If they had been on their own, it would have certainly taken them hours to accomplish what they had done together as a group in minutes.

"It's simple," Tomoyo explained. "Amaterasu Omikami is rumored to be the ancestress of the Imperial Family of Nihon."

"So you're related to her?" asked Syaoran.

"It's a common belief. I don't know whether it's true or not." She sighed heavily. "Not now when I know the truth behind the gods..."

"Should we tell Kurogane-san?" Syaoran shot a hurried look behind his shoulder, where Kurogane was busy rummaging through his packs. "He doesn't know that the mage was Tsukuyomi-sama."

"I'm not sure," Tomoyo admitted slowly. "He's already been through enough. To jeopardize his faith might be the ultimate blow." She drew a finger to her lips, her brow wrinkling in worry. "I don't know if you've noticed, but Kurogane hasn't completely recovered. There will always be a possibility he might return to his mindless state."

Sakura nodded. "I've felt it too, sometimes..."

"But doesn't he have a right to know? After all"—Syaoran lowered his voice and motioned them closer—"his _is_ part-god in a way, isn't he?"

"Part-human, part-dragon, part-god..." Fay chuckled humorously. "You'd think he's a patchwork quilt the way we talk about him!"

"Not part-god, but part-mage," Tomoyo corrected shortly. "Remember, Tsukuyomi-sama and the others aren't true gods."

"Does that mean Kurogane could learn magic?" Mokona suddenly piped up.

"Now wouldn't that be interesting?" Fay said slyly, a wide smile spreading upon his face. "Imagine Kuro-sama performing magic."

Fay and Mokona exchanged hopeless looks. "Nah!" they giggled.

"Doesn't that only prove he has the right to know?" Syaoran persisted. "I wouldn't want to remain in the dark if I were in his place."

"I agree," Sakura interjected. "I think it'll do more harm than good to keep this from him. Remember Kurogane-san's bitterness at never being told the truth of his past? He might take it the wrong way if we don't tell him."

Tomoyo nodded. "He does have the right to know—more than any of us ever did—but I can't know how he'll take it. He's... changed ever since he regained his human form." She lowered her gaze. "He seems more fragile, more... prone to be hurt by things he would have deemed unimportant before all of this happened."

"Aw, shucks, Tomoyo-chan!" Fay grinned hugely. "It's so cute the way you worry about Kuro-ron! You're both so alike in that aspect!"

"Eh?" she blinked.

"You took on such a melancholy look that's so reminiscent of the way Kuro-wan looks when he's thinking about you!" He squealed happily and squeezed Mokona tightly in his arms, still grinning when the little creature struggled and complained that it was being smothered to death. "It's so adorable!"

"What the hell're you doing to the manjuu?"

They all involuntarily started at Kurogane's gruff voice, none of them realizing that he had been right behind them until he had spoken. Sakura even went so far as to squeak in surprise and jump backward into Syaoran, causing him to fall over.

"I'm merely displaying my affection for Mokona, that's all," Fay chuckled, releasing the creature and restoring it to his rightful perch upon the top of his head. "Mokona doesn't mind at all, do you?"

Mokona cleared its throat slightly before replying with a chirpy, "Since Kurogane's interests obviously lie elsewhere, poor Mokona is forced to find someone else to spend more time with." It sighed dramatically. "It wouldn't do to walk in on something very private now, would it?"

Fay burst out laughing hysterically, slapping Syaoran on the shoulder just when Sakura had managed to haul him to his feet, causing him to fall over again and land face-first in the powdery snow. "Did you hear that?" he crowed. "Kuro-sama's secret is out!"

"When was it ever a secret?" Mokona quipped.

"Bwahahahaha!"

Kurogane's eye twitched as he crossed his arms over his chest and mumbled something along the lines of, "I'd expect no less from the two of you," under his breath.

Tomoyo had a different reaction than him. Her brow knitted and she pursed her lips slightly, a sign Kurogane recognized whenever she had a say but 'tried' to refrain from speaking her mind. "I suppose you two _are_right," she finally conceded, assuming a thoughtful expression. "It _is_ terribly difficult trying to keep something so important a secret, isn't it?"

Kurogane raised his eyebrows and shifted his weight uneasily. He was sure that Tomoyo was going to save her real comeback for last. He had seen her employ the same tactics countless times with the various nobles who would somehow or other irritate her. She'd pretend to agree with them at first, subtly lead the discussion her way with eloquent speech, and then deliver the final blow, successfully managing to peel away her opponent's defenses. She had a flair for words he grudgingly admired, and could never hope to match.

"I think I should do something more extravagant than a tearful embrace to convince everyone of our relationship's authenticity. It caused quite a scandal among the courtiers. We were talked about for days on end." She smiled in remembrance, her violet eyes twinkling mischievously. "It worked the first time, but everyone needs some variety in life... something _new_ to spice things up... aren't I right?"

Fay appeared to be genuinely interested in what she had to say. "Which would be...?" he prompted, his mouth twitching slightly in his attempts to keep his face straight.

"Oh, I don't know... use your imagination," she suggested with a wicked smile. She turned to Kurogane. "What do you think, Kurogane? Would a public kiss set things right? Or perhaps something more scandalous? We could supply the court with gossip for _years_ on end."

"Er... isn't that... I mean..." Kurogane floundered and rubbed his neck, fidgeting uneasily as he felt his face getting warm. "Damn it..." He had become the butt-end of another joke! _Again!_

"Never mind, you don't have to answer that," Tomoyo giggled, touching his hand gently. "I'm just teasing you."

"As if you didn't enjoy doing that," he grumbled. But he liked the feel of her hand upon his.

"You know me too well," she smiled.

_I wouldn't have you any other way_, Kurogane caught himself thinking, but he would rather die than voice his thoughts aloud, especially with the others watching and—

_"Ahem."_

Tomoyo jumped and drew back her hand, as if she had been burned. "Souma!" she grinned, airily fanning herself with the guilty hand. "You're just the person I wanted to see! I never got the chance to ask you how everything was when I left. I'm sure the Sun Goddess has everything under control but you'll have to tell me all the boring details soon or else I'll look like a fool in front of the court when I get back!"

"We'll have to save that for later, Your Highness," she replied gruffly, bowing stiffly. "Supper's ready." She straightened and turned on her heel, stomping—yes, _stomping_—off.

"I think Tomoyo-chan meant it when she said that you two were a scandal," Fay told Kurogane in little above a whisper.

Kurogane did not trust himself to answer, although he had the feeling that Fay was right.

———————————————

Kurogane yawned and rubbed at his eyes tiredly. He shifted his weight and turned on his side, burrowing under a thick fur-lined blanket. He sighed blissfully. How wonderful it was to sleep comfortably again, without anything like tails or wings getting in his way and preventing him from relaxing his sore muscles. He was fully prepared to doze off again but for something that suddenly collided with his face. Grunting, he pulled away the blanket that was obscuring his sight, spitting out hairs from the fur.

Ringing laughter met his ears as he blinked blearily, trying to see through the dim daylight entering through the tent flap.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Tomoyo greeted him, smiling down at him. "You're going to sleep the whole morning away if you don't get up sometime."

"I was already awake," Kurogane groaned, rolling onto his back as he covered his face with the blanket. "You didn't have to stuff a blanket down my throat and make me cough up hairballs."

"An interesting observation for someone who's currently using the said blanket."

Kurogane scowled darkly at her from the small opening underneath it. She giggled and bent over him, trying to pry the blanket away from his face, but he held onto it tightly and wouldn't let her have it. She tugged on it harder, but he still wouldn't relinquish his hold on it.

"Are you sentimentally attached to that blanket or is it just me?" she teased, pulling at it again.

As an answer, Kurogane let go of it on her next tug, causing her to lose her balance and topple backward over his legs with a squeak. "Does that answer your question?" he asked her smugly.

She laughed again, the silvery sound filling Kurogane's ears with its music. "All right, you win. Arrogant rogue."

"No," he murmured, taking her face in his hands. "_Now_ I win." He lowered his face and kissed her slowly, stirringly, for several long moments. "Gods, I missed you so much," he breathed when they broke apart, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. "I don't remember if I told you that already."

"You didn't," she said softly, snuggling against him. "But I could tell."

He drew her into his embrace and whispered, "I'm just glad that everything's over now and we can finally be together."

"Oh, please," she suddenly scoffed bitterly. "You saw how everyone reacted when we embraced before your departure. Imagine how they'd react if they saw us holding hands, or even worse, if they saw us kiss." She lay her head against his chest, gently fingering his makeshift bandages. "Is this how it's always going to be like between us? Stealing kisses whenever we find the chance to be alone?"

"I don't know." He squeezed her gently. "You saw how Souma reacted yesterday just because we were together."

"She thinks that a subordinate of your kind of stature has no right to be with a superior of my status, as do many others."

He sighed heavily. "I wish we didn't have to hide like this."

"We're not exactly hiding. It's pretty much a well-known fact that we have feelings for each other now. We're merely tiptoeing around the subject like everybody else is."

He snorted derisively. "I don't tiptoe."

"It's a figure of speech, silly," she grinned, then sighed. "I'd better go now before Souma misses me."

"You mean she doesn't know you came to wake me up?"

"Sakura-chan offered to cover for me, but she could only guarantee me something around ten minutes."

"You'd better go then. I don't want to give Souma any excuses to beat me up."

She giggled and got to her feet. "If you come along in five minutes or so she needn't suspect a thing."

She knelt down for a moment and kissed his lips lightly. He cupped the nape of her neck and kissed her back lingeringly, then released her and allowed her to leave. She shot him a last smile before the tent flap fluttered back into place.

Kurogane sighed and ran a hand through his hair in a feeble attempt to tame it. It seemed that wherever he went, or whatever he did, more problems had the tendency to spring up and plague him. First it was the feathers, then it was the dragons, and now it was whether he would even be allowed to be with Tomoyo or not. She had made it perfectly clear that it wouldn't be easy.

He pulled on one of his boots, thinking back on recent events. He still shivered when he recalled the horrid emptiness in his mind. He quickly focused on another recollection, and inexorably, his mind drifted to the time he had spent in the dragon community. His chagrin at failing at his task didn't help settle his thoughts either. Even if... He froze in the middle of pulling on his other boot. _But what about my family?_

In truth, he didn't know how to react to Souma's presence anymore. He had grown up believing that she was his cousin, only to find out that it was a falsehood, from the worst source possible. And Suzue! He was so close to her that the revelation that they weren't siblings was difficult for him to accept. He had only ever felt truly at ease in her presence. They shared everything together; from petty and mundane matters to each other's secrets. She had been the first to perceive his feelings for Tomoyo, but she hadn't teased him when she told him afterward. On the contrary, she had been supportive and understanding, just like a real sister would have been.

He clenched his teeth together. There was no other solution. He had to confront his foster parents and demand the truth. If not for his sake, and if not for Souma's, then for Suzue's sake. If anyone deserved to know the truth, it was her.

With that thought firmly in mind, Kurogane jammed his other boot on and drew on his breastplate, wincing slightly when the unavoidable pressure applied by his straps made his shoulders twinge. "How annoying," he mumbled, kicking back the blankets and getting to his feet. He suddenly realized with a start that his vision had improved; he could now easily discern objects in the dark. A remnant from his dragon heritage. Swallowing, albeit a little uneasily, he grabbed his cloak and emerged from the tent into the morning light.

"Hey, lookie! Sleeping Beauty's woken up!"

A peal of laughter followed the statement, accompanied by a deeper laugh and a few chuckles here and there.

"Not that Sleeping Beauty crap again," Kurogane growled as he settled between Sakura and Fay before the campfire. He shot the giggling white creature a look of daggers.

"But you look the part! And I bet your Princess Charming had to come to wake you up!"

"Moko-chan!" Sakura hissed and hurriedly covered Mokona's mouth with her hands, but the damage had already been done.

Souma frowned in disapproval as she stuffed some bread into her mouth and chewed on it a little too vigorously.

"Nah, I woke up a while ago but I was too tired to get up," Kurogane said in an off-hand tone. "I still haven't caught up on my sleep. What with..." He fell silent and wordlessly took the plate a ninja offered him.

"What with what?" demanded Souma flatly.

"What with poor Kuro-sama having to always keep watch at night!" Fay piped up, saving him the trouble from having to think up of an excuse. "It was quite a refreshing change to catch up on some sleep with all of these handy ninja here to keep watch for us!"

Kurogane nearly choked on his food.

"Fay-san," Syaoran started tentatively, "it's unfair if we don't all offer our assistance."

"Oh, I know that," Fay clucked. "But I already did my part. I helped with the cooking. Sakura-chan did too."

"There's no outsmarting you," Tomoyo giggled. "You always have an answer ready."

"Naturally," Fay smiled smugly.

Kurogane was rather tempted to dump his breakfast on the blond's head, but thought better of it. He was too hungry to waste good food. He liked Fay's cooking. It was one of the only _useful_ things Fay could do. He hid a small smile as the wizard burst into laughter at one of Tomoyo's comments, then frowned angrily, focusing his gaze back upon his plate.

He was loath to admit it, but he would miss the way Fay could find something to laugh about even in the most dire situations, the way Mokona constantly crawled all over him and burrowed in his clothes, the way Sakura's natural charisma would always put him at ease, and the way Syaoran's determination would always see him through, even when he had accepted his training. His scowl deepened. _I shouldn't get attached to them. After all, in the end, we'll all go our separate ways._ The feeling was unnerving, and he tried not to think about it as he picked at his food.

It wasn't long until they had finished their breakfast and began to strike camp. If they were lucky, they would be able to make it to Shirasagi by nightfall. They were all eager to make it back to civilization. So many days on the road had definitely taken its toll upon them.

"I can't wait to take a long, luxurious bath," Sakura sighed blissfully as Syaoran climbed up onto the horse behind her. "With lots of hot water and soap."

"I think we could all use a relaxing bath," Fay grinned. He patted his mount's flank fondly. "Although horses are handy, it's a little irritating when you start smelling like one yourself."

Kurogane's gaze shifted to Tomoyo, who would be riding an extra mount one of the ninja had gladly surrendered, and would have done so even if Souma had not commanded him to. Souma obviously didn't want Tomoyo to be any nearer to Kurogane than was absolutely necessary, a fact that Kurogane planned to set straight when they returned to Shirasagi. Almost as an afterthought, he removed his cloak and strode to Tomoyo's side.

"Here," he offered gruffly, draping his cloak about her. "Wear this so you don't catch a cold."

She looked up at him gratefully. Her own cloak had been so tattered when Kurogane had ripped the sleeves to make her bandages that it was beyond repair, and not much protection against the cold anymore. "But what about you?" She took in his bare, bandaged arms worriedly. "Aren't you cold?"

He snorted in amusement. "I'm not cold. I only had my hide to protect me before..." He cleared his throat gruffly and shrugged. "Well, let's just say that the cold doesn't really bother me anymore." He squeezed her shoulders lightly before turning back to his horse, patting her muzzle before mounting her in one fluid movement.

Fay led his mount to Tomoyo and leaned over his snow-flecked neck. "There are aftereffects then," he whispered in Tomoyo's ear. "I can't say that I'm surprised. After what he had to go through..."

"Me neither," she said faintly. She drew her hair behind her ears as the wind swept her tresses back, drawing Kurogane's cloak closer._What other changes will he have to go through? _she wondered pensively. _Is he still the same man I love? Will I be able to help him get through this?_

The only answer she received was the wind whistling between the trees.

———————————————

The moon had nearly reached its zenith in the night sky when they breached the snowy hillside and looked down upon a familiar sight, surrounded by a fortified wall and numerous evergreen trees. Uphilted rooftops gleamed and the castle's thick walls appeared blue in the moonlight. The golden gateway shone brightly, illuminating their way to the castle.

Tomoyo drew her horse beside Kurogane's. "We're home," she whispered, smiling up at him.

"Yeah..." He knew that he should have felt relieved to finally be home, but all he felt was a terrible apprehension at what he knew he had to do.

"Sweet civilization!" Fay cried jubilantly, blowing the structure kisses as they neared it. "I can't wait to get properly cleaned and sleep in a real bed!"

"Mokona wants to sleep in a fluffy feather bed!"

"The first thing I'm going to do is head straight for the baths," Sakura agreed with a small sigh. "I won't be able to sleep well if I don't."

"I'd rather go straight to bed and wake up sometime tomorrow afternoon," Syaoran yawned, scratching his head. "I'm too tired to do anything else at the moment."

"I'm afraid all of your plans will have to wait," Souma told them. "The Sun Goddess wanted us to immediately report to her upon our return."

Mokona continued tittering in the background as Fay's eyes flickered to Tomoyo, as did Sakura's and Syaoran's.

"It can't be helped," the petite princess replied. "Lead the way, Souma."

As Souma signaled for two ninja to go ahead and announce their return, Kurogane turned to Tomoyo and asked, "What are you going to do about this Sun Goddess? Surely you don't believe all the myths and legends."

"That she is my ancestress?" She sighed raggedly, and only in that moment was her weariness truly apparent. "I don't know what to think anymore, Kurogane. Do the gods truly exist? Are we merely chess pieces in their hands with no will of our own?" She lifted her eyes to the sky. "I've wondered about it. At times I think I've found the answer... but I can never be sure."

He raised a brow, sensing that there was more to her words than what she was revealing. "I don't get what you're trying to say."

"Your father is Ryuujin, the god of the dragons. How can there not be gods when you're the living proof of their existence?"

She had him there. He looked back to the road, frowning slightly. "So you doubt their existence?"

"Do you?"

"I don't doubt that they exist. I just doubt their actions."

She laughed softly. "Only you would say that, Kurogane."

"And only you would doubt a universal belief."

"Yes," she murmured. "I would."

Once they had reached the golden gates and had dismounted, grooms rushed forward to take their horses. Two of them had immediately rushed to Tomoyo's side to offer her their assistance, but Kurogane shooed them away and helped her down himself. As if he'd let two total strangers anywhere near _his_ princess!

"You're so stubborn," Tomoyo whispered in his ear once he had set her down. "Didn't you listen to anything I told you this morning?"

"I thought about it and I don't care," he hissed back. "There's no way in hell I'm going to back down. So they should start getting used to the idea of us being together."

After Souma had inspected the ninja and dismissed them (she was more harsh with them than usual) they were joined by a footservant who bowed respectfully to Tomoyo before leading them through the castle's hallways straight to the throne room. Only after he had closed the large doors behind them did they notice that someone else was in the throne room with them.

She was unnaturally tall, even taller than Souma and Kurogane, and she was garbed in a deep red robe and kimono with orange and yellow flames embroidered upon the silk, with the yellow symbol of the sun emblazoned upon the back of her robe. Her raven hair was decorated with delicate hair ornaments, even surpassing Tomoyo's in length. Her skin was as white as snow and her sapphire eyes were bright, but her features almost seemed too perfect for her to be any mere mortal.

Souma immediately bowed low in respect. The others belatedly followed suit.

Giving an acknowledging nod to Souma, she turned to the others. "I've always wanted to meet you in person," she smiled, her voice light and musical. She strode down the steps of the throne and approached them with graceful and fluid movements. She reached out and cupped Kurogane's cheek, urging him to his feet. "Yes," she murmured. "You're everything we ever hoped for."

Kurogane swallowed with difficulty. "Then... you're really...?"

She nodded. "I am Amaterasu Omikami. Please, rise, all of you." She drew back to hold Kurogane in her gaze. "I have heard much about your various exploits over the years. We all have. It caused us quite some concern in the past, especially when Tsukuyomi should have been keeping an eye on you."

"Keeping an eye on me?" he repeated, dumbfounded. And then it dawned on him. "He was the mage?!"

"He never told you?" She smiled in amusement. "Oh, my, no wonder he never intervened."

"But he did, didn't he?" Kurogane spluttered. "I mean, when he warned me about my choice...?"

"It was meant to happen. And you couldn't have made a finer choice. Humans are so much more interesting than dragons. After spending a few months in a dragon's company you can learn a lot about their way of thinking. Ryuujin can be so dull at times. But with humans..." She clasped her hands together. "Ah, humans never cease to amaze me!"

"She's much more cheerful than her brother was," Fay murmured quietly to Syaoran.

"He spends too much time with Ryuujin," Amaterasu explained, then flashed the surprised wizard a wide smile. "You must be the wizard from Celes, am I right?"

"Certainly," he replied, bowing floridly. "Fay D. Flourite, at your immediate disposal."

"My, how charming! Tsukuyomi described you as a very cautious character, but he failed to mention your impeccable manners."

"I must confess that I'm flattered at your kind words."

"What a gentleman," she marveled. "It's so hard to find men who still have manners nowadays." Her eyes flitted to Syaoran. "Like this young man over here. You must be the archaeologist, correct?"

"Yes, Goddess," Syaoran replied with a deep bow. "However, I'm afraid I don't know the proper titles for addressing divinities."

Amaterasu laughed warmly. "Oh, there's no need for that. My name will do just fine."

"Very well, Amaterasu-sama."

"What a polite young man." Next, she turned to Sakura. "And you must be the Beloved One." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Yes," Sakura said, bowing and curtsying politely. "I am Princess Sakura from Clow Country."

"What a pleasure meeting you," Amaterasu smiled. "I've heard much about your journey."

"And I'm Mokona Modoki!" the white creature chittered, suddenly emerging from Sakura's hood. "Here's a pleased-to-meet-you handshake!"

"Oh, so you're Mokona?" Amaterasu shook his outstretched paw. "It is a great honor to meet one of the Dimensional Witch's valuable assistants."

Mokona squealed excitedly. "Did you hear that? Amaterasu said it's a great honor to meet me!"

Amaterasu chuckled good-naturedly before turning to Tomoyo. "Princess," she nodded, her mood suddenly turning solemn. "We have much to discuss."

"I understand," Tomoyo replied with a respectful bow and curtsy. "We could adjoin to the side chambers, if you wish."

"That would be best." She smiled again. "We probably won't be very long, but it's dreadfully late, so I suggest that you all retire and get a good night's sleep. We will continue our discussion tomorrow." Her last words had a note of finality to them.

So, taking Tomoyo's forearm, Amaterasu led the petite princess out of the throne room, the door closing behind them rather ominously.

"I wonder what she wants to tell Tomoyo-chan," Fay mused. "It sounds pretty important the way she suddenly sobered after acting so cheerful."

"Did you know about the mage?" Kurogane demanded, turning to face him. "The way she mentioned it sounded like you'd talked with him."

"We did," Syaoran interjected hurriedly. "After you'd transformed and flew away, the mage revealed who he was and told us about your task."

"So_that's_ why you didn't press me for more information," he said in a low voice.

"What you told us was already familiar and basically confirmed that Tsukuyomi-sama was telling the truth. We didn't want to tell you when we realized that you didn't know it was him because we were worried it would be too much for you to handle." He shrugged helplessly. "After all you went through..."

"We especially didn't want to tell you because he also told us that none of them are true gods," Fay added. "They're mages that have achieved immortality and were seen as gods by simple people when they offered them their aid. We didn't want to lay an additional burden on your shoulders by telling you."

"We were worried about you, Kurogane-san," Sakura said quietly. "It would have been too much for you to learn everything at once."

Kurogane exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. "I should be angry, but strangely, I'm not." He swallowed. His short conversation with Tomoyo beforehand confirmed their words. "I understand you did it for my own good, and I'm grateful for your concern. It's just..." He sighed. "It's too much to properly digest at the moment."

Fay chuckled and clapped Kurogane's shoulder. "Kuro-sama, my friend. I'm sure you'd say the same thing even if we'd told you about it weeks after everything had settled down."

"Yeah... I guess so." He crossed his arms and scuffed his boot lightly against the marble. "Everything's just so different now. It's hard to accept."

"Kurogane... you've got a lot of explaining to do."

He started in surprise. He had forgotten that Souma was still there, and apparently, so had the others.

Souma was frowning at him, her expression a mixture of confusion, curiosity, and apprehension. "What on earth's happened?"

Kurogane shook his head. "I can't tell you... not now at least," he added quickly to hold off any arguments. "I don't want to give you a garbled version. I still have a few more answers to unearth. I promise I'll explain everything once I've found out the entire truth myself."

"Answers? Answers from whom?"

Kurogane moistened his lips and drew a deep breath. "I need to have a long talk with my _parents_. A very, very long talk."

———————————————

The next morning, Kurogane decided not to attend breakfast. He wasn't eager for Souma to bombard him with more questions, neither to bump into Suzue before he had talked with Kumaso and Aya. And he didn't want to confront Amaterasu again. Her fascination in him had unnerved him and made him feel even more guilty for failing to help dragonkind. And he wasn't sure if he wanted to confront Tomoyo either. He wasn't quite sure how to act with her now in front of others. Even though he was determined not to let any titles get in his way, Tomoyo's concern was enough to cut him short.

It was sometime around midmorning when Kurogane finally found the nerve to go looking for his parents. By asking one of the ninja acting as sentry upon the parapet, he learned where his parents usually lodged when visiting Shirasagi and was now making his way along the halls, trying to control his uneasiness. However, with each step he took, he could feel his rage building inside of him, inexorably, like an uncontrollable wave in the midst of a storm on a frothy, windswept sea.

Kurogane finally came to a stop before the door and banged his fist upon it angrily before drawing it open and storming inside.

Aya had been serving tea to Kumaso at that moment, and she squeaked in surprise when Kurogane entered, the teapot nearly falling from her hands.

Kumaso turned in his seat with a disapproving look on his face. "You know that it is highly inappropriate to interrupt the tea-serving ceremony, do you not, Kurogane?"

"Screw the ceremony," he growled. "You've got a hell of a lot of explaining to do."

"Whatever it is can wait," he replied coolly. "Although you have always been impatient by your nature," he added sardonically.

"Stop talking as if you know who I am!" Kurogane yelled, slamming his hand against the table and causing a delicate porcelain cup to fall on its side and spill its contents all over the floor. "You don't know a thing about me!"

"How can you say that?" Aya demanded in a trembling voice, on the verge of hysterics. "To your own father!"

"Because he's not my father!" Kurogane roared.

Kumaso stiffened and shifted his gaze to Kurogane's face; Aya started and began hiccoughing.

"And you're not my mother," he spat, clenching his fists by his sides. "I want to know the truth. I want to know why you never told me the truth." He slammed his hands against the table again. "I want answers and I want them now!"

There was an uneasy silence for several long moments.

"You had no right to keep it from me," Kurogane hissed, his knuckles whitening upon the tabletop. "Didn't I deserve to know the truth?"

"We couldn't, we just couldn't!" Aya wailed.

Kumaso was more composed than his wife. "If we had told you the truth, would you have believed us?"

Kurogane clenched his teeth together. "That's besides the point! The point is that you lied! You led my life for thirty years with a lie!" He turned the table over and it crashed to the floor. Dishes and cups shattered, and tea spilled everywhere. "Do you know how it is to learn the truth from a total stranger?! Do you?!" He took a deep breath and gnashed his teeth together, shooting Kumaso the dirtiest look he could muster. "Everything became clear in that moment. Why you never cared about me or acknowledged me as your son... it all made a cynical sort of sense. And it hurt like hell." He shook his head, biting hard on his lower lip. "You have no idea what I had to go through when I discovered the truth. No idea whatsoever..."

"I can understand your rage, but we felt it was for the best, so you wouldn't suffer like this," Kumaso hastened to explain. "If you want answers, rest assured that we will give them to you. Who are we to deny you the truth?" He waved his hand. "Take a seat so we can talk about this like civilized people."

Kurogane remained frozen for a few moments until he finally fell upon a cushion, crossing his arms and scowling darkly. Kumaso drew another cushion and settled down across from him, Aya sitting down between them to the left.

Kumaso regarded Kurogane steadily with his piercing green eyes. "We would have never taken you in had we any children of our own before," he started bluntly. "We had been married for several years already, and many had begun to talk about why Aya had so far failed to conceive. You know how gossips are. Rumors began to spread that we were cursed. Some thought that Aya was barren, others thought that I was incapable of siring, while others even went so far as to support that we were cursed because of my occupation as Lead Ninja. Those were hard times for us. If it hadn't been for my position, no one would have wished to have anything to do with us. Aya had taken to remaining at home, too embarrassed to show her face outside."

He drew a deep breath and continued. "However, one night, someone appeared at our door. It was a moonless night, so I never saw the man's face clearly, but he had a bundle in his arms. At first, I thought it was some sort of package, until we invited him inside out of the cold and I saw that he held a newborn child in his arms." He smiled slightly. "And that was you."

"You were a beautiful baby," Aya smiled, dabbing at her eyes. "With your adorable chubby hands and your thick black hair."

"We offered to provide him with shelter, but he declined, hurriedly telling us that there was a great need for someone to take you in, and he asked if we could do it. Aya was thrilled, but the man didn't seem poor and in need to me, so I asked him why he was giving you up. He never gave me a straight answer. He merely told me that if I took you in and raised you as my son, I wouldn't regret it. I thought about his words and I thought about our reputation. It seemed like a good idea at the time, so we agreed. And as quickly as he had appeared, he vanished into the night again."

"Before leaving, he told us that we had to name you Kurogane," Aya added. "He said that it was very important, and because we assumed that he was probably your real father, we named you like he wished."

"There's not much to say after that," Kumaso went on. "We were able to regain our reputation now that we had a child we could claim as our own, and people stopped talking about us. You began to grow, and we couldn't have been happier." He paused. "Until Aya finally conceived Suzue, six yeas later."

"We didn't expect to ever have a child of our own, not after being married for seventeen years without any luck," Aya admitted. "We were certainly overjoyed with Suzue's coming, but that made Kumaso start doubting whether we should have taken you in at all. I still wanted to keep you, for I had come to love you as if you were my own flesh and blood, but after Suzue was born, he began to be more affectionate with her and neglected you." She looked at him sadly. "You tried to get his attention often by getting into all sorts of mischief, with Souma as your accomplice. You were only a child, and six years old at the time, and you couldn't understand why it appeared that he had stopped loving you."

Kurogane didn't want to admit it, but he remembered those times. Dimly, but he remembered the indignation he felt at Kumaso constantly ignoring him.

"I wronged you terribly," Kumaso said hoarsely. "And I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am. But after I started, I couldn't stop. Every time I clapped eyes on you I couldn't help but feel disappointed that I wasn't your real father. It wasn't disappointment in you, but disappointment in myself. For wanting to have someone of my own blood who would be just like you." He bowed his head. "There were times I wished we hadn't taken you in, because I could see what I didn't have in you. I could have had a son just like you. I _wanted_ a son like you."

"But you do," Kurogane whispered. "You raised me. You made me the man I am today. You _are_ my father." He hastily wiped at his eyes. "Oh, shit, now I'm getting sentimental..."

Kumaso laughed and embraced Kurogane warmly. "You're not the only one, son," he croaked.

Kurogane hugged him back fiercely. He didn't care anymore if he was beyond redemption ever since his ordeal, his emotions now often getting the better of him. He was damn happy for finally reconciling with father. He couldn't forget Ryuujin, of course. He would always be his father, but in a weird sense, Kumaso was more his father than Ryuujin could ever be.

Kurogane then turned to his mother, hugging her as well. "I'm sorry for always causing you trouble when I was little."

"Oh, not at all, Kurogane," she sniffled. "You were such a determined little rascal. I always had quite a time trying to get you out of the trees you'd climb. You'd never come down willingly."

"You were just like a monkey when you were younger," Kumaso grinned. "And just as energetic, too."

Kurogane chuckled softly. He had had ages to climb a tree. He remembered Suzue would often make him get apples for her from the tree in their family orchard. The thought suddenly reminded him of another pressing problem. He looked up at them. "What about Suzue?" he found himself asking. "Does she know?"

Aya shook her head. "We never told either of you."

"But she should know. It's not fair to her."

"How do you propose we tell her without her acting like you did?" Aya asked him softly.

"But..." Kurogane fell silent. "She needs to know the truth."

"There's no need... Kurogane..."

Kurogane whirled his head around, his eyes widening in horror.

Suzue stood in the doorway, unshed tears glistening in her eyes. "I heard everything," she gasped in a trembling voice. "So... so there's nothing left for you to say!" She covered her face with her hands to hide the tears streaming down her cheeks and ran.

"Suzue! Wait!" Kurogane leapt to his feet and dashed to the door._Stupid! I shouldn't have left the door open!_ He barely managed to see her hair disappear around the corner before he started after her, fervently hoping that she wasn't as fast a runner as he remembered anymore.

It was some time before he finally caught up with her. She had found refuge in the gardens, leaning against the railing of the small wooden bridge that connected the two shores of the frozen stream.

"Suzue," he said softly, coming up to her side. He laid a hand on her trembling shoulder. "Suzue, listen to me—"

"To what?!" she snapped. "To you trying to cover up the truth?"

"No, to hear the _real_ truth!" he said strongly, grasping her shoulders and forcing her to look at him. "Look, I don't know how much you heard—"

"I heard enough!" she sobbed, pushing him back. "Enough to know that I was the only one who never knew!"

"You obviously didn't hear everything then," he pointed out. "I didn't know the truth either. I only found out about it from one of our enemies a little over a week ago."

She glared at him furiously, dashing her tears away.

"Suzue, I felt just as angry when I first found out, too," Kurogane told her in an uncharacteristically gentle voice, "and even more so since I was forced to witness it firsthand."

"What do you mean by that?" she mumbled, interested in spite of herself.

Kurogane drew an arm around her shoulders. "It might take a while to explain, but I'll try to be brief. I just want you to hear me out first. Then you can make your assumptions."

And so, Kurogane spent the rest of the morning describing everything that had occurred ever since he had left Shirasagi over two weeks ago. About the fight on the plains, Firebolt, the time they had spent in Sembia, the cutthroats, the meeting with the mage, Silverthorn and his impeding death, the encounter at Solar Tower... He even told her about the visions Kyle had shown them with as many details as he could remember, and then what he had to go through in the dragon society. He hadn't even told the others so many details. He hoped that by sharing his innermost feelings with her, she would understand that he still valued and cared about her, even though they were not tied by blood. He even added what he had learned from his parents in the explanation.

After Kurogane had finished, Suzue remained thoughtfully silent for a long time, gazing down at the icy surface of the water. The water continued to churn below the ice, and her eyes followed its patterns. Finally, she looked up at him. "So you're a dragon in the form of a human, eh?"

"It's the truth. Hang on." He peeled off some of the bandages on his right arm to reveal his wounds. They had not healed completely yet, and the skin appeared pink and raw around each gash. "These are marks from my claws when I was a dragon. Tomoyo told me afterward that I was tearing up my own flesh in my madness. This is the proof."

She tentatively fingered a particularly nasty gash that started somewhere around the middle section of his upper arm and climbed down past his elbow. Two equal gashes flanked it, though they were not as deep. Three gashes for three talons. She shivered slightly. "I know you'd never come up with such a tale to save your life," she laughed nervously. "But it's still a little difficult to accept."

"I was having trouble accepting it myself." He added in a dry undertone, "It was kind of hard not to accept it when I began sprouting wings."

"You could fly..." she marveled, her brown eyes bright. "How did it feel like to soar above the clouds?"

"It was fantastic!" he said eagerly, wrapping the bandages around his arm again. "You feel as if you own the sky! There's nothing like it!" He was actually grinning from ear to ear, a first, as far as Suzue recalled. "It's even more exciting than a battle! It's hard to explain the exact procedure, but when you start plummeting down to meet the earth..." He shook his head and chuckled softly. "It's like you're falling and you know you're going to smash head-first into the ground, but you pull out of the dive the last second and return to the sky where you belong. I don't know how else to explain it. I wish you could experience it somehow."

"You're dead serious about this."

He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "I need you to believe me. I'd never lie to you about something so important." He straightened. "And if you don't believe me, ask Tomoyo. If it hadn't been for her, I wouldn't be here now."

"You care about her very much, don't you?"

Kurogane leaned against the railing beside her. "I don't just care about her. I've always had my heart set on her, ever since the beginning. I love her more than anything in the world. In all the worlds, actually." He smiled at her. "And you were the first to notice."

She snorted. "It was hard _not_ to notice it. Honestly, couldn't you tell she felt the same way about you?"

"Before or after she sent me away?" he asked dryly.

"Before," Suzue said exasperatedly. "It was blatantly obvious."

"If it was so obvious then why the hell're we a scandal?" he grumbled.

Suzue burst into peals of laughter. "That was just Souma! Everyone else was relieved that something had finally happened between you two!"

_"Whaaaaat?!"_

Suzue nodded. "A lot of people are still pretty sore about it, but they know they can't do anything seeing that going against Tomoyo-hime's wishes would be considered treason. Everyone thinks you're a perfect match. More or less." She grinned and added, "Despite your rather bloodthirsty demeanor."

Kurogane scowled at that, and so, laughing, Suzue flicked his nose with one of her fingers.

"Hey," he grumbled, swatting her hand away. "Quit that."

"You're just so adorable when you pout like that!"

"I don't pout!"

"Oh, yeah?" she challenged. "Then what was that expression on your face all about?"

"It was an expression of annoyance."

"And I'm a flying donkey," she retorted.

Kurogane rolled his eyes. "Here we go again," he muttered. "She's going to start reminding me of times when I was supposedly 'pouting' like a girl..."

"I am not," she protested indignantly.

"Oh, yeah?" he said, unconsciously using the same words as her. "Then what are you thinking about right now?"

Suzue fell silent for a few moments. She straightened and turned to face him. "Do you remember the time you stood up to the local bully when he was picking on me?" she offered hesitantly.

Kurogane snorted. "Course I do. He must have been at least two heads taller than me."

"And more than three times your current size sideways," she added.

"Man, I haven't thought about that in years," he admitted thoughtfully. "He was pretty fast. I was hard-pressed at first."

"But you managed to beat him," Suzue said proudly. "You knocked out his front teeth and gave him a black eye!"

"I was no better! I had a bloody lip, a sprained wrist, and a great big lump on my head that throbbed for days. I was a mess!"

"But you beat him," she repeated. "And none of the older kids ever dared to cross you since."

"The things I did for you..." he mumbled affectionately.

Suzue suddenly wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Are you still my older brother?" she whispered. "Nii-chan?"

He smiled and hugged her back. "As long as you're still my little sister."

———————————————

The rest of the day was rather uneventful. Lunch was enjoyable for Kurogane, because, for the first time, he was surrounded by all the people he cared about the most; Tomoyo, Fay, Sakura, Syaoran, Souma, Suzue, Kumaso, Aya, and even Mokona, who had taken it upon itself to entertain them by juggling rice balls in the air and using chopsticks as supports to walk with. Kurogane had been puzzled at Amaterasu's absence and had asked Fay what had happened at breakfast.

"She left," he had replied simply. "All she really wanted was to meet you and to talk to Tomoyo-chan. Then she left."

Slightly bemused, Kurogane concentrated on devoting the rest of the day on spending more time with his friends. He reviewed some of the finer points of training with Syaoran, he tried to help Sakura with some flower arranging with little success, and he even sat down to solve riddles with Fay and Mokona. Afterward, he and the others pitched in to help Suzue with some tailoring, though he and Syaoran weren't quite as adept at sewing as Sakura and Fay were.

It was well after supper when he went in search of Tomoyo. He finally located her in her chambers, leaning against the railing of her balcony and gazing up at the stars. Although she was dressed in a simple nightgown, she had drawn his cloak around her shoulders. For some reason, it made him smile, and he approached her silently from behind, twining his arms around her waist and gently kissing her neck.

"Kurogane," she sighed, and turned around to face him, kissing his lips with undisguised longing. After several moments, they broke apart, but they did not release their hold on each other.

"Where had you disappeared to at breakfast?" she asked.

"Where had _you_ disappeared to at supper?" he contradicted.

She laughed softly. "I just wasn't really in the mood to eat. I had to listen to so many petitioners this afternoon that I lost my appetite. Did you know that blacksmiths earn less than coopers at times?"

"How would I know something like that?"

"If you were with me, you would have known."

He winced. "I'm sorry about that. I wanted to talk to you at lunch, but we were separated by so many people I thought it'd be best not to in the end. And I wanted to spend the afternoon with my friends. Because... they'll probably be leaving soon."

"I understand," she assured him. Then she asked," So where were you at breakfast anyway?"

"Oh... I had some business to attend to." And he proceeded to explain the events of the morning, including reconciling with his parents and explaining the situation to Suzue. "It wasn't easy to persuade her. I had to show her the claw marks and tell her how wonderful flying was for her to really believe me. I think I managed it in the end. I still think of her as my little sister."

Tomoyo frowned in thought. "But what about your real parents?"

"Ryuujin already appeared before me. I don't think he'll do me the honor a second time."

"And your mother?"

Kurogane remained silent for several long moments. "I want to find her," he finally said softly. "I want to find my real mother."

"You know her name," Tomoyo smiled, "and her House. She's undoubtedly somewhere in the city."

"All I have to do is go to the Midori district." He added in a dry undertone, "That is, if I manage to find it. Even so, I doubt it'll take more than three days. Two days, at the most."

He squeezed her hand and she returned the pressure. A long silence followed.

"I'll be waiting," Tomoyo whispered.

He cupped her face in his hands. "I'll be back before you even notice I'm gone." His lips formed a small smile. "And this is a promise I'll keep."

"We should seal it with a kiss," she suggested with a mischievous smile.

Kurogane chuckled. "Why don't we?"

Tomoyo closed her eyes and tilted her chin up, and Kurogane lowered his head to hers, their mouths fusing together as one. His hands slid down to her small waist as her fingers twined through his hair, their bodies pressing intimately together. Kurogane's hands started roaming across her back just as Tomoyo's began sliding down his chest...

"Kurogane, you get your hands off the Princess this instant!"

Kurogane and Tomoyo broke apart immediately in surprise. Kurogane was so surprised that he ended up losing his balance and fell over, landing sharply on his rump. "Hell, Souma, what was _that_ for?!" he demanded sourly, getting to his feet with a wince.

"I won't have you snogging the Princess like that!" she said sternly, grabbing his ear. "You two may be in a relationship, but at least show her more respect than a common chambermaid!"

"Itai! Let go of my ear, you crazy woman!"

Souma merely tugged on his earlobe smartly, smirking in satisfaction at his string of protests and complaints, all of which were quite vulgar.

"Souma, Kurogane wasn't being disrespectful..." Tomoyo chuckled weakly, sweat-dropping.

"He was just acting like a man," Souma supplied. "Instead of using his head to think he was using his—"

_"Souma!"_ Kurogane hissed quickly, turning beet-red.

Tomoyo smothered her laughter. "Kurogane was just leaving anyway." She swatted Souma away and kissed Kurogane's cheek. "Goodnight," she smiled, departing inside.

Souma frowned. "If you do anything that's improper or disrespectful to her again, you'll sorely regret it," she warned him in a low voice, before storming away, muttering murderously under her breath.

Kurogane scowled, his gaze lifting to the velvety-black sky. Some things would never change.

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**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** I'm a sucker for clichés. Tomoyo had a good singing voice in_Cardcaptor Sakura_, dragons are partial to beautiful singing maidens, so what better way to calm Kuro-ryuu than to have Tomoyo sing to him? XD The song I used is the song _Remember_ performed by Josh Groban. It was featured in the film _Troy_, just in case you were wondering. Not that I liked the film (300 was way better) but this song is heart-wrenchingly beautiful. It seemed a little too much to me, but StarSparklez, Luinramwen, and Erenriel kept telling me that it was perfect. So I kept it! _—shrugs and giggles— _This chapter is totally dedicated to Erenriel. Girl, you rock big time, you know that? XD (And so do Breaking Benjamin!)

Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!


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